What are the heating techniques for mealworm farming?
Heating techniques for mealworm farming
In cold weather, mealworm farming requires heating, otherwise they will go into hibernation. If adults and pupae are not heated, adult beetles will not lay eggs, or pupae will fail to emerge and die.
Choose heating equipment according to the scale of breeding
The choice of heating equipment affects both cost and heating effect. Electric furnaces and air conditioners cost too much. Generally, small-scale farms use closed furnaces fueled by coal. The heating furnace should be made by a professional processing factory to achieve the effect of saving coal while distributing heat. The advantage of closed-furnace heating is that the fuel source is broad and simple; the drawback is that if carbon monoxide leaks, it will cause the worms to die.
Where conditions allow, sawdust or straw can be used as fuel for heating. The fuel cost is low and the heating effect is good. Generally, for a 50 sq m house, one heating furnace can raise the temperature to 24-28°C. The design and manufacture of the heating furnace should be done by a professional processing factory. The straw must be crushed so that it burns continuously. This heating method saves labor and time, with fuel replaced only once every 12 hours. However, the heat-dissipating pipes must be well sealed, otherwise leaking smoke will also cause the worms to die.
North of the Yangtze River there is another heating method, commonly known as "earth heating," which works on the same principle as boiler water heating, only with simpler equipment and lower cost, making it suitable for small-scale farmers. Moreover, this method is safe and reliable, because the heating furnace can be placed outside the breeding site, so it will not cause carbon monoxide leakage and kill the mealworms.
For industrialized farming with a scale of more than 500 kg of breeding stock, the boiler water heating method is the best. Heat is dissipated through radiators, making the heat even and the effect optimal. Although the one-time investment is large, the fuel sources are broad, and waste oil, rice husks, straw, sawdust, etc. can be used.
The higher the temperature, the better - not necessarily
Once the heating equipment is chosen, the heating method is also important, otherwise the desired effect cannot be achieved. Some people think that as long as the temperature is raised, the higher the better, but this is not the case. In a fully enclosed breeding house, the maximum temperature must not exceed 26°C. If it exceeds 26°C, it will create a stuffy, hot feeling and can easily cause the mealworms to die. In addition, when changing the fuel in the morning and evening each day, the door must be opened for ventilation more than 2 times, for 5 minutes each time.
To prevent rainwater from flowing back into the heating furnace through the heat-dissipating pipe on rainy days, a 90-degree elbow can be installed at the outlet where the heat-dissipating pipe extends outdoors, with the outlet facing downward.
Plastic film can only block wind, not retain heat. Therefore, in addition to sealing doors and windows with plastic film, paperboard or other insulation layers should also be used for reinforcement, so that the indoor warmth will not be lost and the heating effect will be better.
Choose heating equipment according to the scale of breeding
The choice of heating equipment affects both cost and heating effect. Electric furnaces and air conditioners cost too much. Generally, small-scale farms use closed furnaces fueled by coal. The heating furnace should be made by a professional processing factory to achieve the effect of saving coal while distributing heat. The advantage of closed-furnace heating is that the fuel source is broad and simple; the drawback is that if carbon monoxide leaks, it will cause the worms to die.
Where conditions allow, sawdust or straw can be used as fuel for heating. The fuel cost is low and the heating effect is good. Generally, for a 50 sq m house, one heating furnace can raise the temperature to 24-28°C. The design and manufacture of the heating furnace should be done by a professional processing factory. The straw must be crushed so that it burns continuously. This heating method saves labor and time, with fuel replaced only once every 12 hours. However, the heat-dissipating pipes must be well sealed, otherwise leaking smoke will also cause the worms to die.
North of the Yangtze River there is another heating method, commonly known as "earth heating," which works on the same principle as boiler water heating, only with simpler equipment and lower cost, making it suitable for small-scale farmers. Moreover, this method is safe and reliable, because the heating furnace can be placed outside the breeding site, so it will not cause carbon monoxide leakage and kill the mealworms.
For industrialized farming with a scale of more than 500 kg of breeding stock, the boiler water heating method is the best. Heat is dissipated through radiators, making the heat even and the effect optimal. Although the one-time investment is large, the fuel sources are broad, and waste oil, rice husks, straw, sawdust, etc. can be used.
The higher the temperature, the better - not necessarily
Once the heating equipment is chosen, the heating method is also important, otherwise the desired effect cannot be achieved. Some people think that as long as the temperature is raised, the higher the better, but this is not the case. In a fully enclosed breeding house, the maximum temperature must not exceed 26°C. If it exceeds 26°C, it will create a stuffy, hot feeling and can easily cause the mealworms to die. In addition, when changing the fuel in the morning and evening each day, the door must be opened for ventilation more than 2 times, for 5 minutes each time.
To prevent rainwater from flowing back into the heating furnace through the heat-dissipating pipe on rainy days, a 90-degree elbow can be installed at the outlet where the heat-dissipating pipe extends outdoors, with the outlet facing downward.
Plastic film can only block wind, not retain heat. Therefore, in addition to sealing doors and windows with plastic film, paperboard or other insulation layers should also be used for reinforcement, so that the indoor warmth will not be lost and the heating effect will be better.