Key Technical Points and Detailed Methods for Greenhouse Farming of Cicadas
The cicada is a very common insect, and it is also a delicacy sought after by many people. Cicadas are especially rich in nutritional value, and the market demand for cicadas exceeds supply, which has given rise to cicada farming projects. Below, the editor will guide everyone through cicada farming; friends who want to farm cicadas can follow along with the editor to learn more.
Greenhouse Farming Techniques for Cicadas
1. Selecting breeding trees
Dwarf fruit trees such as apricot, peach, apple, or other dwarf shrub varieties are all good trees for cicada breeding. Be careful to prune overly tall branches in time to make breeding management easier; interplant fruit tree seedlings in the gaps between trees to increase the branches available for cicadas to lay eggs on; and plant cicada egg stocks beneath the trees, following the method described in "Cicada Farming Techniques."
2. Building breeding greenhouses
Build the breeding greenhouse just before the cicadas are about to emerge, with an area of 1 mu per greenhouse being suitable. Around the breeding area, use cement posts or bamboo poles to set up a fence; the row spacing of the cement posts should be 5 m, with bamboo poles used for the frame in between, then wire is pulled and fixed, and finally a nylon window screen mesh is draped over the outside. For breeding, choose a plot with high, dry terrain and convenient drainage and irrigation; never build a breeding greenhouse on low-lying land where water easily accumulates.
3. Seed insect management and disease prevention
After the cicadas emerge, because the adults have a strong phototaxis, in the early stage wait until they have molted into adults before moving them into the greenhouse. When catching them, newly emerged cicadas will fly around wildly upon seeing light and collide with things, causing the death of seed insects. Therefore, you may catch all the cicadas that emerge within the first week, and after 1 week begin letting the cicadas molt naturally and lay eggs. The stocking density for seed insects is about 10000 per mu, with females and males each accounting for about 50%; each female cicada can lay 500~1500 seed eggs, and each greenhouse can provide breeding seed for about 20 mu of cicada propagation.
About 20 days after emergence, cicadas can mate and lay eggs. When laying eggs, the cicada pierces the bark of the branch and lays the eggs in the xylem. During the mating and egg-laying period, try not to walk around or make noise inside the greenhouse, so as to avoid adverse effects on the cicadas.
Because the nymphs (cicada turtles) after emerging and the adults after molting have many natural enemies, such as toads, sparrows, and mantises, good protection work should be done inside the greenhouse. In addition, frequently check whether the screen mesh is damaged, and strictly prevent the cicadas from escaping.
Microorganisms such as Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, and entomogenous algae fungi (cicada flower) can all cause parasitic harm to cicada seed insects, so protection should be strengthened during farming. During the emergence period of mature nymphs, the egg stage under the trees, and the occurrence period of cicada ants, the main natural enemies of cicadas are ants and red minute flower bugs, which must be strictly guarded against. Strong ammonia essence and similar products can be used for soil treatment.
Early Preparation for Farming Cicadas
1. Feed supply
Choose healthy tree species with well-developed root systems, vigorous growth, and abundant sap, such as poplar, elm, willow, paulownia, or various fruit trees in orchards. In addition, interplant some root and tuber crops, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, and Chinese yam.
2. Environmental conditions
For the cicada, the "planting depth" should preferably be 30~50 cm. It should face the sun and be protected from freezing; the soil should be soft, fertile, and pollution-free. It must not be too dry, nor have excessively high water content or water accumulation, so as to ensure the normal growth and development of the host plant roots, which should be young, tender, well-developed, and juicy. In winter, the planting area should be covered with wheat straw, rice straw, corn stalks, etc., to maintain ground temperature. [1]
3. Disease prevention preparation
The nymphs (cicada turtles) after emerging and the adults after molting have many natural enemies, such as toads, snakes, rodents, hedgehogs, wild cats, sparrows, and mantises, all of which like to eat nymphs (cicada turtles). Microorganisms such as Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, and entomogenous algae fungi (cicada flower) also parasitize and harm them. In addition, floods and pollution from pesticides and chemical fertilizers also cause relatively great harm to nymphs (cicada turtles) or cicadas, so during farming,
4. Pay attention and protect.
The most important seasons are the egg stage on the trees, the occurrence period of "cicada ants," and the emergence period of mature nymphs. The natural enemies during the egg stage on the trees and the occurrence period of cicada ants are mainly ants and red minute flower bugs. The treatment measures are to soak and wash egg-bearing branches with a 100-fold dilution of strong ammonia essence, or use DDVP, strong chlorine essence, etc. for soil treatment.
5. Breeding techniques
Build production facilities for adults and nymphs. In addition to naturally collecting cicada eggs, you can establish screen-mesh greenhouses to provide space for adult cicadas to lay eggs. You can use fruit trees in abandoned orchards, replant fruit tree seedlings, set up a fence around the area with cement posts or bamboo poles, then pull wire in between, and drape nylon window screen mesh over the outside. Adults that have molted or been collected mate and lay eggs inside; afterward, the number of adults to retain can be determined according to need, and there is no need to collect seed stock from the wild again.
Sowing Time for Cicadas
The planting time is generally from May to July or from September to October. About 1 m from the base of the tree trunk, dig regular narrow trenches about 10 to 30 cm deep, in shapes such as rings, squares, triangles, parallel lines, or radial patterns, in order to facilitate later digging and harvesting. After "planting," cover with soil and press firm, and keep records of the time, quantity, "planting" trench shape, and depth. It should face the sun and be protected from freezing; the soil should be soft, fertile, and pollution-free. It must not be too dry, nor have excessively high water content or water accumulation, so as to ensure the normal growth and development of the host plant roots, which should be young, tender, well-developed, and juicy. In winter, the planting area should be covered with wheat straw, rice straw, corn stalks, etc., to maintain ground temperature.
Harvesting Cicadas
After egg-bearing branches are buried and planted for 2-3 years, the cicada insects begin to gradually grow, develop, and mature. The harvest period is generally at the Summer Solstice each year. If there is soaking rain, plump and strong nymphs will begin to drill out of the ground at 4-5 in the morning, or after the rain clears, the nymphs use a pair of saw-like front legs to dig through the soil and emerge from their holes in the moist, soft ground. After crawling out onto the ground, they move about briefly on the surface, then climb tree trunks or greenhouse frames and prepare to molt. After 2-4 hours, they shed their skin and become cicadas (zhi liao). Based on this characteristic of cicadas, after the Summer Solstice each year, if there is no rain and drought occurs, you can artificially water the farming site thoroughly to induce the cicada insects to emerge. Before the cicada insects emerge, or before the cicada insects mature, you can tie a ring of smooth plastic film around the tree trunk 30 cm above the ground so that the cicada insects cannot continue climbing up the tree, making harvesting easier. You can also use a flashlight for illumination and search for and catch them at night on the ground beneath the trees and on the trunks. Or catch the tender adult cicadas that have molted on the trees in the early morning.
The above content explains the techniques for farming cicadas, which is very helpful information for friends who want to farm cicadas. Cicadas have high utilization value and a wide range of uses; whether as a nutritionally rich delicacy or as an especially good Chinese medicinal material, they all enjoy a very good reputation.