Detailed Explanation of Predaceous Diving Beetle Breeding Methods and Technical Points
The predaceous diving beetle, also known as the water beetle, is an aquatic insect belonging to the family Dytiscidae. On the market today, predaceous diving beetles are divided into two uses: medicinal and edible. Because its flavor differs from other foods, its taste is unique, and it is also rich in nutrients, it is called the “ginseng of the water.” Predaceous diving beetles can enhance the body's ability to adapt to exercise load and have a relatively good effect against fatigue. The breeding area is now gradually increasing, so how should predaceous diving beetles be bred? Let's take a look below!
1. Breeding environment
As an aquatic insect, the predaceous diving beetle has extremely strong adaptability. It is relatively suited to living in clear, pollution-free freshwater and likes warm environments, but it is very unaccustomed to strong light and fears strong light. In the past, most predaceous diving beetles were wild, but now they have been bred artificially on a large scale. The environment for breeding predaceous diving beetles is very simple. They can be released and raised in large bodies of water such as fish ponds, or they can be bred in a few square meters of water vats. It takes about 8 months for a predaceous diving beetle to go from egg to adult. The predaceous diving beetle is not very strict about the water environment, such as dissolved oxygen, water temperature, pH, and so on. Moreover, predaceous diving beetles can almost be said to have no diseases, and the range of things they eat is also wide, so they are very easy to breed.
2. Breeding facilities
Because the predaceous diving beetle is an aquatic insect, it is very sensitive to water pollution such as pesticides and chemical fertilizers, so it is generally better to build the breeding pond in the suburbs. Note that the breeding pond must not be built near heavily polluted places, especially places such as factories and restaurants. The breeding facilities are mainly determined according to the breeding area. If the number being bred is large, a small pond can be built; if the area is small, a water pool or water vat can be built. The area of the water vat is about 10 sq m, and the water depth should not exceed 1 m. Generally, 250 predaceous diving beetles can be stocked per sq m. Some aquatic plants can be planted at the edge of the pond, and aquatic grass can also be planted in the pond.
3. Breeding management
Feeding predaceous diving beetles is very easy. Predaceous diving beetles are basically not picky eaters, but artificial breeding generally mainly uses cornmeal, rice bran, and sweet fruits. Crushed field snails can also be fed to them, and bait should be put in once a day at around six o'clock. Note that feeding must not be done every other day, to prevent fighting among the predaceous diving beetles due to insufficient food. Also, toxic or spoiled food must not be fed to the predaceous diving beetles, otherwise it will cause the predaceous diving beetles to die or fail to reproduce. Predaceous diving beetles do not have very great requirements for water quality. Generally, either tap water or groundwater can be used for changing the water, as long as it is non-toxic, free of pathogens, and not polluted. When the water is too dirty, also note that the water should be changed in time.
4. Harvesting and preservation
The breeding cycle of the predaceous diving beetle is not 8 months. Around August each year, nets are used to carry out catching work in pits, ponds, pools, and ditches with more aquatic grass. The peak emergence period of adults is generally in the evening, so in the evening we can use ultraviolet lamps to attract and gather the adults. This not only saves labor and time, but also has good results. Then the collected adults can be killed by scalding and dried in the sun, ready for sale. If live adults are to be sold, then during transportation and storage they should be covered with a net to prevent them from escaping.
The above is a brief introduction to predaceous diving beetle breeding methods. Breeding predaceous diving beetles is very simple, and there is also no need to worry about the occurrence of diseases, because as long as water quality is managed well, the incidence of disease is extremely low. The breeding cost of predaceous diving beetles is very low, but the market price is far higher than the breeding cost, so everyone can consider whether to breed them according to their own conditions and surrounding environment. The above content is for reference only, and I hope it is helpful to everyone.