GB2061689A - Trapping insects for animal feed - Google Patents

Abstract

Insects are attracted into a trap by electromagnetic radiation. They are then either killed for processing into animal feed or used for breeding prior to being killed and processed.

Description

SPECIFICATION Protein collection and protein production apparatuses This invention relates to Protein Collection Apparatuses and a Protein Production Apparatus.

The two types of apparatuses can be gainfully employed individually, or collectively, in gathering or producing Protein, or in gathering and producing Protein; depending upon characteristics of Protein so collected, geographical location, or, users descretion. Protein collected or produced can be utilised for feeding farmed fish or poultry and other livestocks.

Such Protein may also be used to fortify foodstuffs which is fed to farmed fish, poultry, pigs and cattle.

Additional outlets for produced or collected Protein would be created or satisfied by fortifying foodstuffs for domestic pets; or by feeding collected or produced and processed Protein to domestic pets such as fish, birds, dogs, cats etc, eg rabbits. Employment of Protein Collectors and Protein Production Units to supply Protein for examples of use quoted would reduce costs of animal nutrients.

In practice, Collection Devices or Apparatuses are suitable for the collection of Protein in the form of coarse flies such as houseflies, blowflies, bluebottles-flies and other related insects, or aphids, or moths depending upon constructional details of said devices. Such devices maybe operated with particular advantage in the tropical zones where insects are more numerous, although the writer has obtained highly satisfactory coarse fly collection rates north of Quebec City, that is, at a latitude of about 50 N.

If the location of a Protein Collection Device which is designed to collect coarse flies is sited too far from the equator, the additional facility of a Protein Production Device or Apparatus maybe utilised.

Although a Protein Production Device could be employed at or close to the equator, such usage may not be necessary; but the use of such an addition would permit all year round production of Protein consisting of course flies in extreme latitudes. In cases where the siting of an installation is too far north or south of the equator for collection of useful quantities of coarse flies, depending upon the decision of the user, the Collection Apparatus maybe omitted altogether. The Protein Production Device may then be utilised by introducing and importing insects from warmer regions, although the breeding of aphids and moths may not be worthwhile.

In theory, most insects are attracted to specific wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation, although optimum results maybe obtained by blending or mixing two or more specific wavelengths or frequencies. Suitable radiation maybe generated directly, or obtained indirectly, and of consequence, maybe employed to induce insects to enter a Protein Collector Device. The wavelength A required to attract insects of the type specified are contained within the visable spectrum, and lie between 350 and 800 n meters. However, in the practical and successful experiments conducted by the writer, the required attraction force was obtained by the action of absorbtion and reflection of a domestic light source, which was powered by an alternating current.In the case of greenfly, the use of sunlight to illuminate the absorbtion and reflection surface was adequate to attract the insects from an altitude of at teast 14 feet. The utilised method of obtaining desired wavelength ensures a convenient method of obtaining a fine adjustment of emitted radiation.

The wavelength A1 required to attract coarse flies to enter a Protein Collector lies between 350 & 500 n meters. Therefore A1 produces a glow in the blue region of the visable spectrum. Flies so attracted maybe retained for breeding purposes, or alternatively, collected together for immediate processing.

If a Protein Producer is provided, and a suitable environment and habitant is ensured, prolific reproduction rates will be obtained. After laying their eggs, the adult insects can be collected and processed. The most suitable environment for coarse flies is obtained by providing a fairly dry & hot atmosphere.

Harvesting of flies for processing maybe readily achieved by extinguishing all illumination in the chamber containing the insects except for an exter- nally illuminated exit appature. The apparture maybe illuminated by daylight or an artifical light source.

Several methods of finalising the harvesting of the flies exists. One such method separates the flies from the external light source by a sheet of glass.

The insects, being heavy, will stun themselves on making high speed contact with the glass sheet.

They are then washed away by large volumes of water; which, is caused to flow across the near vertical surface of the glass separator, to a filter bay where the produce may be collected for use as animal feed. The water may be recirculated in the interests of economy.

Alternatively, the exit apparture will be extended from the chamber by a length of piping in which a set of closely fitting extractor fan blades are rotated at high speed. These rotating blades will slice or stun the insects which are trying to reach the external light source which is situated at the exit end of the piping. Airfiow resulting from the rotating extractor blades can be utilised to blow the insects into a receptacle, from whence the product can be taken away and processed into animal feed.

One form of construction of a Protein Collector, a Protein Production Apparatus and a Protein or Product Receptacle is shown in Figure 1. The Collection Apparatus is shown at A, the Protein Producer at U and a Product Receptacle, complete with wheels, is shown atV in Figure 1.

Layout of a Protein Collector, see Figure 1, is representitive of the experimental model used by the writer, and which consists of a full sized door B; size approximately 2 meters by 1 meter. A coated or painted absorber/reflector surface is shown at C. The associated illumination for C is provided at D. Flies are attracted to C and enterthe Collector at K. Control Panel G is programmed to open and shut door B automatically at timed intervals, the length of which depend upon the geographical location of the apparatus and the season of the year. Control Panel G also controls the light source at D; ie, the light is switched to on when the door B is open and off when the door is closed.Output, that is to say collection of the product from the Protein Collector, is obtained by illuminating lamp t 11 housed in vent tube W on unit V when Q is inserted into 0; door B is closed, extractor fan F is rotating 1 and F are controlled by G) and lamp D is extinguished. The collected Protein will be delivered to wheeled receptacle V via apparture X which isfittedwith a manually operated slid ing door or hatchway Y The wheeled receptacle V maybe emptied by means of apparture L which is revealed or blocked off by sliding door Z.

Depending on geographical location, Protein Producer U maybe employed. It consists of a chamber U and an insect inlet at M. Insects are transferred from a darkened Protein Collector A via connecting pipe E, O and M when lamp T is switched on by control panel G. Inner surface J should be partially reflective. Chamber U is heated by thermostatically controlled heater R which maintains a constanttemperature of 80 F. Brood Chambers rr are serviced from external trap-doors in Protein Producer Walls at S, and are provided with suitable nutrients to sustain grubs which hatch out from insect eggs.

In the interests of economy, the walls of the chamber U are lined with suitable insulants to conserve heat The external walls of A, U and V should be constructed of aluminium in the interests of a long and maintenance free life.

Experiments conducted by the writer have shown that aphids and other reiated insects are attracted to Electromagnetic Radiation that has a wavelength A2 which lies between 500 & 590 n meters. Such a wavelength lies within the visable spectrum and produces a green/yellow coloured glow. Observation of such experiments would lead one to conclude that the emission of A2 misleads the insects into decending on to what appears to them to be newly sprouted leaves, and, upon which such insects feed and breed. Such radiation is able to attract these insects from an altitude of approximately 3 meters.

Additional attraction to Aphids and other related insects maybe obtained by utilising electrostatic forces. Such phenomenon may be confirmed by observing the attraction a newly polished car exerts on a dry day to these type of insects.

Although a Protein Collection Device, designed to attract aphids, employing active Radiation Generators such as gas discharge flourescenttubes can be constructed, a Protein Collector employing a passive absorbtion/reflection type attraction generator is described with the aid of Figure 2.

In its simplist form, the apparatus consists of a shallow container as shown in Figure 2 at (a). The dished container is arranged to reflect the visable band of radiation that lies between 500 and 590 n meters. Such a reflection surface should be polished to prevent it from readily tarnishing. An inlet pipe (b) supplies an interrupted flow of water. Surplus water is overflowed into a guttering (c) which will drain the overflow of water and insects into an auxillary tank (d) where the water is separated from the insects by means of a filter (e).

A hemisphere (g) is suspended above the con tainer (a) by support (f). The hemisphere (g) is con nected to one pole of an adjustable extra high voltage generator (h).The other terminal of the supply (h) is connected to container (a) and earth. When the high voltage supply (h) is switched on,the hemisphere (g) provides the electrostatic attraction force described earlier in the text.

Moths may also be attracted and caused to enter a Protein Collector Device by employing broardband Electromatic Radiation. The Broardband Radiation will be composed of frequencies contained within the visable spectrum.

It is claimed tçiat a Protein Collector Device is able to attractinsectsbyV;sual means for the purposes of breeding and, orrproviding animal foodstuffs in the form of Protein.

Claims (9)

1. It is claimed that insects are attracted to, and therefore maybetra:pped and collected by use of suitable apparatus, modulated or non-moduitated Electromagnetic Radiation which lies in the visable or nearvisable portion of the spectrum.

2. Collected insects, as in claim 1, are utilisedto feed animals and birds orto fortify foodstuffs provided for animals and birds.

3. Collected insects, as in claim 2, maybe utilised for breeding priorto being processed into animal or bird food or fortify-ing bird or animal food.

4. The breeding site, as in Claim 3, may or may not be situated locally to the collection or processing station.

5. The breeding site's output of insects, as in Claim 4, maybe employed to feed birds and animals orto fortify bird and animal food.

6. Breeding site's.output of insects, as in Claim 5 maybe utilised for breeding priorto being processed into animal or bird food orfortify-ing bird or animal food.

New claims or amendments to claims filed on 13 February 1981 Superseded claims 1 toS New or amended claims:-1 to 9 7. It is claimed thatthe apparatuses described in the specification are utilised to attract and trap, and deliver two a collection chamber, insects which are then processed as food, or utilised to fortify food, for animals, birds or fish.

2. The apparatuses, as in claim 1, maybe utilised with orwitbout a breeding chamber.

3. The apparatuses, as in claim 2, maybe employed with a breeding section stationed remotely or adjoinincthe attraction, trapping and collection sections.

4. The apparatus, as in claim 3, employs a mod slated cr non-modulated electromagnetic radiation composed of a single or multiplicity of frequencies as specified inthe specification and according to the species of insect being attracted.

5. The apparatus, as in claim 4, derives its electromagnetic radiation insect attraction forces either by directly generated means, orby means of absorbtion and reflection of a surface such as painted hard board which maybe illuminated by a broardband light source.

6. One aspect of the invention, as in claim 5, util ises a type of door which automatically-encloses, at pre-set intervals of time, the attracted insects within a chamber which is equiped with an electromagnetic attraction source; whereas another aspect of the invention interposes filtered water, which traps the insects, between the insects normarhabanf and an electromagnetic attraction force.

7. Another feature attributable to one of the apparatuses, as in claim 6, enables a transfer of live trapped insects to a collection chamber or breeding chamber by utilizing automatic or manually operated switches to extinguish all illumination except an illuminated exit which causes trapped insects to fly toward said illumination.

8. One further aspect of said invention, as in claim 7, stuns and kills trapped insects prior to delivering same to the collection chamber by interposing a rotating set of blades which closely fit the exit apparture, such as fan blades, which mechanically stun or siice insects passing through.

9. The electromagnetic radiation insect attraction force, as in claim 6 maybe inhanced by the use of electrostatic forces when fragile winged insects are being trapped, for example, greenfly.