The present invention relates to a cage for breeding insects, a rack for storing a plurality of these cages, and a method for breeding insects.

Insects and their larvae are used as an animal protein feed, and for this purpose they are produced on a large scale. Systems for producing and/or breeding insects on large scales are well known in the art, and in particular influencing the mating, breeding and growth of the insects by controlling the light in a breeding space for the insects is known. For instance, US patent US 5158497 discloses an illuminated dome for controlled mixture of flying insects.

The systems known in the art have however, several disadvantages, which make them inefficient in multiple ways. It is therefore a purpose of the present invention to provide a cage for breeding insects, a rack for storing a plurality of these cages, and a method for breeding insects, that takes away the disadvantages of the prior art.

The invention thereto proposes a cage for breeding insects, comprising: a space, limited by walls, for housing said insects and/or pupae thereof wherein the walls are

impenetrable by the insects, at least one of the walls is at least partly light translucent and at least one of the walls comprises an openable part, for inserting insects.

The cage according to the invention forms a device for breeding insects, that can be easily handled and stored, and that provides a facility to influence the breeding, mating and laying of eggs, by regulating at least a property of the light that is added through the at least partly light transparent wall.

The cage may for instance have a rectangular shape and be arranged as a drawer for a rack containing multiple cages. Typically it may have a length between 1 and 3 meters, a width between 1 and 3 meters, and a height between 0,2 and 1,5, in particular between 0,2 and 0,3 meters. Bigger cages are found to be less effective due to the controllability of lighting, climate, and collectability of the eggs. The at least partly light translucent wall and/or any of the other walls may be gas-permeable to permit fresh air to enter the cage. The openable part provides the possibility to enter a number of insects or pupae or cocoons, and to close the cage after placement.

In particular, the openable part comprises a tray. Such tray can be moved between a closed position and an opened position, wherein the tray closes the cage at least in the closed position, but permits to add insects in the opened position. It may preferably be arranged such that it is configured to receive insects in the opened position, while closing an opening in the cage, and to transfer the insects (or larvae) to the interior of the cage when the tray is moved to the closed position.

In a further embodiment, the tray is removable. This enables to switch trays quickly, and to swap an empty tray for a filled one, for entering new larvae or insects. The at least one tray may be arranged to close an opening in a bottom of the cage, that is: at least in a closed position of the tray. Such configuration leads to a lower chance of insects exiting the cage when a tray is removed or exchanged. Such openable part may be accessible from a side of the cage, which enables addition of larvae while the cage is stored in a rack.

Preferably, an upper wall comprises the at least partly light translucent part. This enables to lighten the cage from the top-side, and in particular, to incorporate lighting means in a rack for cages. However, other walls may be at least partly translucent as well. The at least partly translucent part can for instance be formed by a gauze or netting, but alternatively, a translucent part is used which has a opal glass or milk glass or a coloured glass for filtering a certain portion from the light that enters the cage. The glass may be selected in correspondence with the lighting source, in order to remove undesired components from the light from the lighting source.

In a further embodiment, at least one of the walls comprises a slot for inserting an egg depository device. Such slot may be arranged at the same side as the openable part for inserting insects, for convenient handling when the cage is stored in a rack. The use of a depository device results in easy harvesting of the eggs.

The invention also relates to a cage provided with an above mentioned egg depository device, which may be a sheet-like element of any material that encourages the insects to lay their eggs on. Such egg depository device may further comprise at least one gas inlet accessible from the outside of the cage when the device is placed in the cage; and at least one gas outlet device, arranged at the inside of the cage when the device is placed in the cage. In a preferred embodiment, the egg depository device is arranged to divide a gas stream offered at the input evenly over said egg depository device, in order to efficiently use its egg-laying area. Thereto, the egg depository device may comprise for instance a gas permeable material, like a sponge, a plate with holes or small cravices or a specially designed structure like a cilinder. The gas inlet and outlet device may be used for inserting a gas that in particular is a fertilizer gas, or any other organic or synthetic odorous gas, which has proven to stimulate the insects to lay their eggs at the depository device, instead of laying them at a random location in the cage. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the walls comprises an entrance for inserting a fluid. Such fluid is used to clean the cage, and can be applied when the cage is stored in a rack. A bottom wall of the comprises a gutter for conducting fluid to a fluid exit opening. In again another aspect, the invention relates to an arrangement of a plurality of cases as described above, wherein the cases are arranged such that they can be illuminated by a lighting source. The cases may for this purpose for instance be stacked, mounted on or against a wall or be arranged in a rack. Such rack may comprise at least one light source, wherein the lighting source is arranged such that it can illuminate the interior of a case through the at least one at least partly light translucent wall.

Preferably, the rack comprises multiple light sources, each arranged such that it can illuminate the interior of a case through the at least one at least partly light translucent wall. The rack may be designed such that multiple cages can be stacked inside, with individual light sources above each of the stacked cages. A distance in height direction of 0,1 to 1 meter may be provided for this purpose in the rack. The light sources may thereto be arranged in spaces between openings for cages, and for example be chosen from a group of Led, TL or LEP, each having their own specific effect on the mating of the insects. Combinations of various light sources are thinkable too, wherein each of the light sources can be controlled separately. The rack may further comprise or be coupled to a control system for controlling on/off cycles of the light sources. These cycles may comprise for instance switching the lights off while the flies hatch, and after a number of days, for instance about 7 days, switching the lights off for an hour, and then on again for two hours. In yet a further embodiment, the rack also comprises a control system for controlling moisture and/or temperature, which may be coupled to the control system for the light, or form part of the same control system. One or more sprinklers may be arranged in the vicinity, in particular above, or in a cage, for adding moisture to the cage.

The control system may provide a combined control of light, temperature and moisture.

The invention will now be elucidated into more detail with reference to the following figures; herein:

Figure 1 shows a cage according to the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a rack according to the present invention with a device for adding a fluid;

Figure 3 shows the position of light assemblies and cages in a rack according to the present invention;

Figure 4 shows a hall with racks according to the present invention; and

Figure 5 shows a schematic overview of a method according to the present invention.

Figure 1 shows two cages 1 according to the present invention, for breeding insects, comprising a space 2, limited by walls 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 (invisible), for housing said insects and/or larvae thereof.

The walls are impenetrable by the insects by an gauze, which is so fine that it is not visible in the drawing and the upper wall 4 is partly light translucent, that is, through the gauze and netting 9, which latter serves for supporting the gauze. A front wall 3 comprises openable parts 10, 11, 12, each formed by a tray, for inserting insects. Instead of a rigid tray, which may be made from a plastics or a metal, a vacuum- cleaner cartridge-like paper tray is also thinkable. The tray can be removed in order to be replaced by a new one. In a closed position, the trays close a respective opening 10a, 11a, 12a in a bottom of the cage, at least in a closed position of the tray. The trays are accessible from the front wall 3 of the cage.

The front wall 3 is further provided with a slot 13 for inserting an egg depository device 14. This egg depository device 14 comprises at least one gas inlet 15 accessible from the outside of the cage 1 when the device 14 is placed in the cage 1; and at least one gas outlet 16, arranged at the inside of the cage 1 when the device 14 is placed in the cage 1.

The egg depository device 14 comprises a gas permeable material, like a sponge.

The cage 1 further has a valve or cover 20, for permitting access to a fluid entrance device, for cleaning the cage.

Also a sprinkler nozzle 21 is shown, which may form part of the cage, or form part of its environment, like a rack in which the cage is placed, in order to add moisture to the interior.

Figure 2 shows a rack 17 according to the present invention, with a device 18 for adding a fluid. Such fluid serves to clean the cages 1, which thereto comprise an entrance (not visible) for inserting a fluid, as well as a gutter (not visible) for conducting fluid to a fluid exit opening.

Figure 3 shows the position of light assemblies 19 and cages 1 in a rack according to the present invention. From the figure, it is clear that there are lighting assemblies for each separate cage. Not depicted are sprinklers that may be present above each case too, for controlling moisture.

Figure 4 shows a hall 20 with racks 17 according to the present invention, which may comprise a moisture conditioning system. Figure 5 shows a schematic overview of a method according to the present invention, which comprises the following steps.

1. A cage is designed to house a certain amount of flies.

2. A certain amount of pupae is added to the cage after which they hatch inside the cage.

3. A certain amount of hatched flies fills the cage.

4. The flies are stimulated to mate in order to ensure fertility of the eggs.

5. The female flies are stimulated to lay their eggs on an element so that easy harvesting of eggs is possible (egg deposit systems)

6. After a certain amount of harvesting moments the flies are left to die in the cage

7. The cage is cleaned by removing all the dead flies and leftover living flies and the cage is further cleaned for new run of cycle (step 1-7) The above examples and embodiments are exemplary only and do not limit in any sense the scope of protection of the present application as defined by the following claims.