A Detailed Guide to the Artificial Breeding Techniques of the Mole Cricket (Tugouzi)

The mole cricket, also called lalagu, tugouzi, shuigou and so on, is an underground insect and also a pest, but it has high medicinal value, so it is artificially bred. So, what breeding techniques are there for mole crickets? Let's take a look together!

1. Building the rearing pond

If mole crickets are to be raised on a large scale, then first a rearing pond made of bricks and stones as raw materials needs to be built. The number and area of the rearing ponds should be controlled according to the breeding quantity. The bottom of the rearing pond should be filled with about 0.8-1 m of soil, trampled down and compacted, then about 25 cm of fertilizer or soil rich in organic matter should be added on top, and then a layer of loose grain straw should be spread over it to provide a resting place for the mole crickets. Finally, the opening of the rearing pond should be covered well with iron gauze and the like, which can both prevent the mole crickets from escaping and provide shade for them and raise the temperature of the rearing pond.

2. Introducing the seed stock at the right time

When preparing mole cricket seed stock, you can make use of the mole cricket's strong phototaxis. In April and September each year, during the peak period of mole cricket activity, use lights to trap mole crickets near farmland. After catching the mole crickets, remove the adults that are physically incomplete, injured, thin and small, or sick, so as to ensure the high quality of the seed mole crickets. A high-quality variety is the key to ensuring successful breeding, so the variety of the mole cricket is very important. All the caught mole crickets must not be used for breeding; they must be screened before being introduced as seed stock at the right time for breeding.

3. Feeding management

The mole cricket has a very omnivorous diet, mainly feeding on vegetable leaves and the stems and leaves of grain crops, but during artificial breeding it is necessary to prepare some rice grains, roasted grain crops and other fine feed for mixed feeding. Generally, feeding is carried out in the evening each day. The amount fed must not be too large, to avoid leftover feed after feeding. Green feed must be given once a day, and fine feed once every two days. When feeding, give more frequent small amounts, and do not feed moldy or spoiled feed. The feed can be sun-dried to improve its storability. In summer and winter, good cooling and heat preservation work must be done to prevent the mole crickets from dying because they cannot adapt to temperature changes.

4. Harvesting and processing

Artificially bred mole crickets can be harvested once a year, but this mainly varies according to the variety. Among them, the North China mole cricket needs to be harvested once every two years. At harvest time, the organic soil in the rearing pond should be sifted with a large-mesh sieve to pick out the adults, and then dirty matter should be removed. Not all of them should be harvested; a portion must be kept to prepare for breeding the following year. If there is a large amount of insect droppings, then the soil should be replaced in time. After harvesting, remove the mole cricket's head, wings and legs, etc., clean out the internal organs, wash them clean, then scald them to death with hot water, dry them in the sun, and then deep-fry them into a snack food.

The above is a brief introduction to mole cricket breeding techniques provided for you by the Tuliu.com editor. We hope it can help you!