How to raise dung beetles artificially? Detailed explanation of methods and technical key points

The dung beetle is also called shi ke lang, and many people also call it shi ge (gè) lang, tui wan, etc. It belongs to the order Coleoptera, family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Scarabaeinae. There are about 2300 species of dung beetles in the world, distributed on every continent except Antarctica. Dung beetles can use the polarization of moonlight to navigate, helping them obtain food. They have a certain phototaxis. These insects that burrow into cow dung can roll the dung into balls and push them forward. They mainly feed on animal dung and have the title of “nature’s scavenger”, also known as “mo duo sheng”.

Morphological features

The body shape is a slightly flattened oval, with a body length of 5-30 mm. The body color is mostly black with a slight luster, and some are brown. The head is flattened, the forelegs are strong, and males have horns on the head. It is a completely metamorphic insect. The body surface is dark in color, and some have a metallic luster. Male beetles have a long, curved horn-like projection on top of the head. Dung beetles can use the polarization of moonlight to navigate, helping them obtain food, and they have a certain phototaxis. The insect has deep-set eyes and a high nose, resembling a Qiang or Hu person, and carries black armor like a warrior, hence the names dung beetle and general.

So how are dung beetles raised artificially?

1. Rearing facilities

1) Above-ground insect cage rearing method. Outdoors, use angle iron to set up an insect cage 3 m long and 2.5 m wide, surround the underground perimeter with stainless steel wire mesh,

100 cm deep. Cover the above-ground part with a nylon mesh with an aperture of 0.5 cm. Dig a drainage ditch 20-30 cm away from the insect cage around it, with a ditch depth of 90 cm and a width of 20 cm. Leave a door on one side of the insect cage for easy operation and management. Stock 20 pairs of breeding insects per 1 sq m, and at the same time, promptly add fresh pig manure, then feed once every 2-3 d thereafter.

2) Underground insect cage rearing method. Dig 5 ponds underground, round, with a diameter of 100 cm and a depth of 80 cm. Surround the perimeter and bottom of the ponds with stainless steel mesh, expose 20 cm above ground, then fill and compact with soil, and cover with a lid made of nylon mesh. Place 20 pairs of breeding insects in each insect cage, and at the same time add fresh pig manure. Management is the same as above.

3) Cement pool rearing method. Build 5 cement pools, square, with length, width, and height each 100 cm, and wall thickness 15 cm. Fill them fully and compactly with soil. According to the suitable soil moisture content required by dung beetles, add an appropriate amount of water to the soil. The soil in the pool is 10 cm from the pool surface. Cover with a lid made of stainless steel wire or nylon mesh, leaving a 10 cm space between the lid surface and the soil surface. Put 20 pairs of adults into each pool. All management methods are the same as above. In view of the water-impermeable nature of the pool, add a cover over the cement pool to prevent water accumulation.

4) Brick wall rearing farm method. For larger-scale breeding, in a sheltered, sunny, high, and dry flat area, enclose 130-150 sq m of land,

with a brick wall 140 cm high and an underground wall foundation of 1 m. Seal the top of the brick wall with cement, and install 1 steel wire hook every 30 cm on the surface,

so as to fix the nylon net above. The mesh aperture is 0.5 cm. To support the nylon net, erect 3-4 cement columns inside, with a column height of 180-190 cm. Using the cement columns as support points, stretch several galvanized wires outward in all directions to hold the nylon net so that it does not sag. Leave a door on one side of the wall at wall height. Leave no gap between the door and the wall to prevent adult beetles from escaping. In order to keep the rearing farm dry and free of standing water, dig a cross-shaped drainage ditch inside the farm, with a hidden ditch leading outside, and block the outlet with stainless steel wire mesh. This prevents adult beetles from escaping and other wild animals from burrowing in and harming the insect bodies. The stocking density and management methods are the same as the other rearing methods above. However, where fresh pig manure is added, temporarily set up a movable shade shed to prevent the fresh pig manure from drying out in the sun and reducing its utilization rate.

2. Rearing management

1. Selecting breeding insects. For breeding insects to be reared, May-June is best, because these adults are all overwintering adults, and once released for rearing, they can lay eggs within one month. In July, the temperature is too high, and breeding insects are prone to death during transport. At the same time, during this period there are also heavy rains or rainstorms, and the feed is easily washed away, which can also cause the death of breeding insects (except those with rain shelters). When releasing breeding insects, select individuals that are large, strong, and have intact wings and legs, and release them at a male-to-female ratio of about 1:1 to improve the survival rate and reproduction rate.

2. Feed frequently. After putting in the breeding insects, feed promptly. At first, feed every day, and afterward supplement at any time according to feeding conditions. Once every 2-3 days. In the choice of food, although human feces is better than pig manure, and pig manure is better than cow dung, according to source and habit, pig manure is the most convenient as feed. When adding it, pay attention to selecting fresh feces; moldy or sun-dried feces are not suitable for feeding.

3. Pay attention to natural enemies. In rearing, it has been found that earthworms and mole crickets are the main natural enemies. They often break or pierce through the soil chambers, causing the mud balls to be destroyed and resulting in the death of larvae or pupae. To avoid their harm, pay attention to reducing soil moisture and choosing high, dry sandy loam with low fertilizer content.