阅读说明：本技术 卵孵化和幼虫分离装置和方法 (Egg hatching and larva separation device and method ) 是由 M.梅特利茨 P.马萨罗 B.怀特 于 2020-02-21 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种包括液密容器的装置,其中液密容器包括具有第一部分和第二部分的基底；包围基底并联接到基底以形成液密密封的至少一个壁；其中基底的第一部分包括第一颜色并限定凹槽；以及其中基底的第二部分包括比第一颜色深的第二颜色。(An apparatus comprising a liquid-tight container, wherein the liquid-tight container comprises a base having a first portion and a second portion; at least one wall surrounding the base and coupled to the base to form a liquid-tight seal; wherein the first portion of the substrate comprises a first color and defines a recess; and wherein the second portion of the substrate comprises a second color that is darker than the first color.)

1. A device comprising a liquid-tight container, wherein the liquid-tight container comprises:

a substrate having a first portion and a second portion;

At least one wall surrounding and coupled to the base to form a liquid-tight seal;

wherein the first portion of the substrate comprises a first color and defines a recess; and

wherein the second portion of the substrate comprises a second color that is darker than the first color.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein a liquid is disposed within the liquid-tight container.

3. The device of claim 2, further comprising a heat source positioned to maintain a predetermined temperature of the liquid disposed in the liquid-tight container.

4. The device of claim 3, further comprising a temperature measurement device configured to measure and regulate the temperature of the liquid disposed in the liquid-tight container.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a rectangular shape.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base and at least one wall comprise a single piece of molded material.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first color comprises white and the second color comprises black.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first portion and the second portion are continuous.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a portion of the at least one wall is translucent and a light source is positioned and oriented to emit light through the translucent portion into the liquid-tight container.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the light source is attached to an outer surface of the liquid-tight container.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one wall comprises two wall sections, wherein the partition member:

extending between the two wall sections over the base, an

A gap is defined between the substrate and the partition member,

wherein the partition member is configured to allow insect larvae to move from one side of the member to the other side of the member and to prevent insect egg hatching debris from moving from one side of the member to the other side of the member.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the first portion defines a ramp that slopes from the groove to the second portion.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a vibration generator to output mechanical vibrations to the first portion.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the vibration generator is attached to an outer surface of the liquid-tight container at a location proximate to the first portion.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the second portion defines a resealable aperture to drain liquid and the plurality of insect larvae from the second portion.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the liquid-tight container further comprises a pump configured to remove the liquid and the plurality of insect larvae from the second portion.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a chemical deterrent agent located in the first portion.

18. The device of claim 1, further comprising a chemical attractant in the second portion.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein the fluid-tight container further comprises a removable opaque cover.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein the fluid-tight container further comprises a removable substantially translucent or transparent cover.

21. An insect larvae separation apparatus comprising:

a liquid-tight container comprising:

a substrate having a first portion and a second portion;

at least one wall surrounding and coupled to the base to form a liquid-tight seal, at least a portion of the at least one wall being translucent;

wherein the first portion of the substrate comprises a first color and defines a groove and a slope that slopes from the groove to the second portion; and

Wherein the second portion of the substrate comprises a second color that is darker than the first color and coterminous with the first portion;

a liquid disposed in the liquid-tight container;

a light source positioned and oriented to transmit light into the liquid-tight container through the translucent portion of the at least one wall;

a vibration generator coupled to the liquid-tight container to output mechanical vibrations to the first portion;

a heat source positioned to maintain a temperature of the liquid disposed in the liquid-tight container;

temperature measuring means for measuring the temperature of the liquid disposed in the liquid-tight container; and

a processor configured to execute processor-executable instructions stored in the memory to:

the light source is activated and deactivated and,

activating and deactivating the vibration generator and the vibration generator,

receiving a signal from said temperature measuring device, an

Outputting a signal to the heat source based on the signal from the temperature measurement device.

22. A method, comprising the steps of,

providing a liquid-tight container and a liquid disposed in the liquid-tight container, wherein the liquid-tight container comprises a base having a first portion and a second portion; at least one wall surrounding the base and coupled to the base to form a liquid-tight seal; wherein the first portion of the substrate comprises a first color and defines a recess; and wherein the second portion of the substrate comprises a second color that is darker than the first color;

Dispensing a plurality of insect eggs into the recess of the liquid-tight container; and

removing at least one larva from the second portion of the liquid-tight container, the at least one larva having hatched from an insect egg of the plurality of insect eggs.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

receiving, by the processor, a sensor signal from the sensor indicating that the insect larva is removed from the second portion; and

counting, by the processor, the insect larvae based on the sensor signals.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising emitting light into the liquid-tight container through the translucent portion of the at least one wall by at least one light source positioned and oriented to emit light.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising outputting mechanical vibrations to the first portion using a vibration generator.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein removing the at least one larva from the second portion comprises draining the at least one larva from the liquid-tight container.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein removing the at least one larva from the second portion comprises pumping the liquid and the at least one larva out of the liquid-tight container.

28. The method of claim 22, further comprising introducing a chemical attractant to the second portion.

29. The method as defined in claim 22, further comprising introducing a chemical deterrent agent to the first portion.

30. The method of claim 22, further comprising applying heat to the fluid-tight container from a heat source.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising monitoring the temperature of the liquid using a temperature measurement device.

Technical Field

The present disclosure generally relates to mass rearing of insects. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, the present disclosure relates to devices and methods for separating insect larvae from egg hatching debris.

Background

Mass rearing of insect larvae can be very time consuming and laborious. To produce insect larvae, insect eggs are immersed in a solution (e.g., water plus yeast) and placed in a container (e.g., a jar) for several hours at an appropriate temperature to allow for incubation of a desired number of larvae. The technician would then perform the arduous task of separating the hatched larvae from egg hatching debris (e.g., egg shells and non-egg debris, such as mosquito body parts) in order to perform a smooth and accurate larva counting/dispensing operation. The separation of hatched larvae from egg hatching debris is generally carried out by: the hatched larvae and debris are transferred from the container to a tray for the technician to manually remove the larvae from the egg hatching debris. This method often requires a significant amount of labor and time, such as manually moving the hatched larvae and solution from the container to a tray, manually separating the hatched larvae from the egg shells and non-egg debris, and the like.

Disclosure of Invention

Various examples of devices and methods for egg hatching and larval separation are described. One example apparatus includes a liquid-tight container, wherein the liquid-tight container includes a base having a first portion and a second portion; at least one wall surrounding and coupled to the base to form a liquid-tight seal; wherein the first portion of the substrate comprises a first color and defines a recess; and wherein the second portion of the substrate comprises a second color darker than the first color.

One example method includes providing a liquid-tight container and a liquid disposed in the liquid-tight container, wherein the liquid-tight container includes a base having a first portion and a second portion; at least one wall surrounding and coupled to the base to form a liquid-tight seal; wherein the first portion of the substrate comprises a first color and defines a recess; and wherein the second portion of the substrate comprises a second color darker than the first color; dispensing a plurality of insect eggs into a recess of a liquid-tight container; and removing at least one larva from a second portion of the liquid-tight container, the at least one larva having hatched from an insect egg of the plurality of insect eggs.

These illustrative examples are mentioned not to limit or define the scope of the present disclosure, but to provide examples to aid understanding of the present disclosure. Illustrative examples are discussed in the detailed description, which provides further description. The advantages provided by the various examples may be further appreciated by examining this specification.

Drawings

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more specific examples and, together with the description of the examples, serve to explain the principles and implementations of the specific examples.

1-8 and 11 show example devices for egg hatching and larval separation according to the present disclosure;

fig. 9 shows a flow diagram of an example method for egg hatching and larval separation according to the present disclosure; and

fig. 10 shows an example computing device for egg hatching and larval separation according to the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

Examples are described herein in the context of apparatus and methods for egg hatching and larval separation. Those of ordinary skill in the art will realize that the following description is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. Reference will now be made in detail to example implementations as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The same reference indicators will be used throughout the drawings and the following description to refer to the same or like items.

In the interest of clarity, not all of the routine features of the examples described herein are shown and described. It will of course be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with application-and business-related constraints, which will vary from one implementation to another and from one developer to another.

When raising insects in large quantities, it may be desirable to separate the insect larvae (or simply "larvae") from the egg debris without requiring manual separation by the user. Examples according to the present disclosure may utilize the instinct of larva escape stimuli to separate insect larvae from insect egg hatching debris by the insect larvae themselves.

In one illustrative example, mosquito eggs are placed in a liquid-tight container containing a liquid. The example liquid-tight container has a base divided into two adjacent sections: the first section is coloured white and includes a groove where mosquito eggs may be initially deposited; and a second segment colored black. The substrate also has a slope from the groove to the second portion. Thus, when mosquito larvae hatch, they will move out of the groove, up the inclined ramp, and enter the second portion as the larvae tend to hide in the dark section because the section is darker in color.

In this example, the liquid-tight container may include various other features that may help encourage larvae to exit the recess, thereby separating themselves from egg hatching debris. The liquid-tight container has a light source that irradiates light into a first section of the container. Because mosquito larvae are frightened by the light stimulus, they are directed away from the light source and out of the first zone.

Further, the liquid-tight container has a vibration generator coupled to the first portion to output mechanical vibrations that disturb the larvae and urge them away from the vibrations. The vibration may also encourage the hatched eggs and debris to settle, which may leave more room for the unhatched eggs. Furthermore, a heat source (such as a heating mat) may be located below the first section together with a temperature measuring device (such as a temperature probe) in order to measure and maintain the temperature of the liquid in the container. Heating the first section may promote faster, more synchronous hatching of the insect larva eggs. As a result of heating the first section, a temperature gradient in the system may cause larvae to move towards the second section of the container. The computing device may communicate with the light source, vibration generator, heat source, and temperature probe to control these devices.

Each of these features (e.g., the color of the first section versus the color of the second section, the light source, the vibration generator, and the heat source) will aid in the separation of larvae if used alone. However, the configuration described above that incorporates each feature into a single device encourages larvae to hatch from mosquito eggs, exit the first section, and enter the second section. As a result, the larvae separate themselves from the eggs and egg hatching debris, so the user does not have to manually separate each individual larva from the debris. After the larvae have been separated from the debris, the larvae can be quickly and efficiently removed from the liquid-tight container and moved together into another rearing container.

This illustrative example is given to introduce the reader to the general subject matter discussed herein, and this disclosure is not limited to this example. The following sections describe various additional non-limiting examples and examples of systems and methods for egg hatching and larval separation.

Referring now to fig. 1, fig. 1 shows an example of a fluid tight container 100 for egg hatching and larval separation. In this example, the liquid-tight container 100 is made of acrylic; however, it may be made of any suitable material. The fluid-tight container 100 includes a base 102 and at least one wall 104 surrounding the base. The base 102 may be square, rectangular, circular (e.g., as shown in fig. 2 and described below), triangular, trapezoidal, or any other shape suitable for the proper function of the liquid-tight container 100.

The at least one wall 104 is coupled to the base 102 to form a fluid-tight seal between the base 102 and the wall 104. In this example, the at least one wall 104 is coupled to one or more edges of the substrate 102, depending on the shape of the substrate 102; however, the at least one wall 104 may be coupled to the base 102 at any suitable location. In some examples, the at least one wall 104 may be coupled to the substrate 102 by using a glue or sealant, by welding or melting the substrate 102 and the at least one wall 104 together, by fastening the substrate 102 and the at least one wall 104 together using various fasteners, such as screws, bolts, or the like, by molding the substrate 102 and the at least one wall 104 out of a single piece of material, or by any other suitable method of coupling the at least one wall 104 to the substrate 102.

The liquid 112 may be contained within a liquid-tight container 100. The liquid 112 may have a depth substantially equal to or less than 0.5 inches or any other suitable depth to allow insect larvae to hatch and move away from any egg hatching debris without being submerged in the liquid 112. In some examples, the liquid 112 may be fresh water, salt water, a solution of water and yeast, or any other suitable liquid 112 or mixture to support hatching of larvae.

The substrate 102 is divided into two adjacent sections, a first section 106 and a second section 108, which meet as shown in FIG. 1; however, it is not required that the two portions are continuous. Although the two portions shown in fig. 1 are each approximately one-half of the substrate 102, they may constitute different proportions of the substrate 102 rather than one-half.

The first portion 106 defines a recess 110 in which insect eggs can be deposited and which generally holds the insect eggs in place. Although only a single groove 110 is shown in the example of fig. 1, any suitable number of grooves 110 may be present. The groove 110 may be any suitable shape, such as rectangular (e.g., as shown in fig. 1 and 3-8), circular, oval, trapezoidal, or curved (e.g., as shown in fig. 2), and may have any suitable cross-sectional shape. The recess 110 may also be of any suitable depth to hold insect eggs in place while allowing hatched larvae to exit the recess 110. Further, the groove 110 may extend across the entire dimension of the substrate 102 (e.g., across the entire width of the substrate 102), or may extend only partially across a dimension.

In this example, the first portion 106 and the second portion 108 are colored differently: the first portion 106 is white and the second portion 108 is black; however, any suitable combination of colors may be employed. As defined by the hue-saturation-value (HSV) color scheme, a color may be referred to as white or substantially white if it has a lightness substantially at a maximum HSV lightness value (light value) and a minimum saturation value, and black or substantially black if it has a lightness substantially at a minimum HSV lightness value. In some examples, the color of the second portion 108 is darker than the color of the first portion 106, meaning that the second color has a color content closer to black than the first color. For example, in the HSV color scheme, if a brightness value (brightness value) of one color is smaller than another color, the color is darker than the other color. Other color schemes may be used in some examples, but some insects are attracted to darkness because darkness provides a place to hide and repel light, and thus the color of the portion may be selected to take advantage of this preference. In this example, the color of the second portion 108 attracts the hatched insect larvae, causing the hatched larvae to move to the second portion 108 and separate themselves from the egg debris located in the recess 110 and in the first portion 106. It should be understood that the use of the HSV color scheme is merely illustrative and that any suitable color scheme may be employed to determine the relative shades between different colors.

Referring now to fig. 11, fig. 11 shows another example of a liquid-tight container 1100 for egg hatching and larval separation, wherein a second portion 1108 is surrounded by a first portion 1106. In this example, the first portion 1106 and the second portion 1108 are colored similar to the first portion 106 and the second portion 108 described above with reference to fig. 1. Insect eggs may be deposited anywhere on the first portion 1106 and larvae may migrate toward the second portion 1108. This arrangement may be advantageous as it may allow a larger area for spawning and a smaller area may more easily collect hatched larvae. For example, the second portion 1108 may be a hinged or trapdoor structure to allow larvae to periodically fall into another container and then reposition to allow additional larvae to migrate onto the second portion.

As described above with respect to fig. 1, the fluid-tight container 1100 includes a base 1102, four walls 1104, a first portion 1106, and a second portion 1108, as described above with respect to fig. 1. In some examples, the first portion 1106 may be surrounded by the second portion 1108 in an opposite configuration to that shown in fig. 11.

Referring now to fig. 2, fig. 2 shows another example of a liquid-tight container 200 for egg hatching and larval separation. In this example, the liquid-tight container has a circular base 202, the circular base 202 having a single wall 204, the wall 204 being coupled at its edges to the base 202 and surrounding the base 202 to form a liquid-tight seal. The fluid-tight container 200 includes two portions, a first portion 206 and a second portion 208, and contains a liquid, as discussed above with reference to fig. 1. In addition, the first portion 206 defines a curved groove 210. As discussed above, the fluid-tight container 200 may also incorporate a similar color scheme for the first portion 206 and the second portion 208.

Referring now to fig. 3, fig. 3 shows another example of a liquid-tight container 300 for egg hatching and larval separation. The fluid-tight container 300 includes a base 302, four walls 304, a white first portion 306, a black second portion 308, and a recess 310 in the first portion 306, as described above with respect to fig. 1. In this example, the liquid-tight container 300 includes features that, in addition to the features shown in fig. 1, aid in hatching larvae and promote separation of larvae from egg hatching debris. Some of these features include, for example, a light source 312, a vibration generator 314, a temperature measurement device 316, an inclined ramp 318, a heat source 320, and a computing device 317.

In this example, one wall 304 of the liquid-tight container 300 includes a translucent portion 305 located adjacent to the first portion 306, although any suitable number of translucent portions 305 may be included in any number of walls 304 of the liquid-tight container 300. As can be seen in fig. 3, the translucent portion 305 extends along the entire wall 304 of the liquid-tight container 300; however, in some examples, the translucent portion 305 may extend only partially along the wall 304. In a further example, the light source 312 can be positioned adjacent to the translucent portion 305 of the at least one wall 304 and can be oriented to emit light into the liquid-tight container 300 through the translucent portion 305. Light emitted into the liquid-tight container 300 from the light source 312 may help encourage insect larvae to move away from the light source 312, moving from the first portion 306 to the second portion 308. The light source 312 may be attached to an inner or outer surface of the liquid-tight container 300, or may be positioned separately from the liquid-tight container 300. In still other examples, the light source 312 may be positioned anywhere around the first portion 306 (e.g., above or below the first portion 306 or the groove 310) to emit light into the first portion 306.

In this example, the fluid-tight container 300 includes a vibration generator 314 that outputs mechanical vibrations. The vibration generator 314 may include a vibration motor, such as an Eccentric Rotating Mass (ERM) vibration motor, a Linear Resonant Actuator (LRA), an audio speaker, or any other suitable device capable of outputting mechanical vibrations. The vibration generator 314 is positioned to output mechanical vibrations to the first portion 306. For example, in fig. 3, the vibration generator 314 is attached to the outer surface of the first portion 306 of the fluid-tight container 300; however, in some examples, the vibration generator 314 may be attached to an inner surface of the first portion 306, or may be located separately from the liquid-tight container 300. The vibration generator 314 is shown attached to one of the at least one wall 304 proximate the first portion 306, but the vibration generator 314 may also be attached to multiple walls 304 or the base 302. The mechanical vibrations generated by the vibration generator 314 and output to the first portion 306 disturb the insect eggs and larvae located in the recess 310 or first portion 306 and encourage the larvae to hatch from the eggs and then separate from the egg hatching debris by moving to the second portion 308.

The liquid-tight container 300 shown in fig. 3 comprises a temperature measuring device 316. Temperature measuring device 316 may be any device suitable for measuring the temperature of the liquid found in liquid-tight container 300, such as a thermometer, thermocouple, infrared sensor, or the like. The temperature measurement device 316 is positioned to measure the temperature of the liquid, and the measured temperature may be displayed and/or communicated to a user or computing device 317, as will be discussed below. In further examples, the temperature measurement device 316 may be attached to an outer or inner surface of the liquid-tight container 300, positioned adjacent to the liquid-tight container 300, or positioned above the liquid-tight container 300.

In this example, the liquid-tight container 300 includes a sloped ramp 318 to assist in the separation of insect larvae from egg hatching debris. Some types of insect larvae inherently climb up the incline, and thus this feature may encourage the larvae to move toward the second portion 308. The inclined ramp 318 may be formed as a single unit with the base 302 and/or the at least one wall 304, or the inclined ramp 318 may be a separate component placed in the fluid-tight container 300 or attached to the base 302 and/or the at least one wall 304. Where the inclined ramp 318 is a separate component, the inclined ramp 318 may be made of the same material as the rest of the fluid-tight container 300 or a different material. In this example, the inclined ramp 318 extends from the edge of the groove 110 to the edge of the second portion 308. In some examples, the inclined ramp 318 may begin to be spaced apart from the groove 110. The base 302 of the second portion 308 can be sized such that there is no height difference between the edge of the inclined ramp 318 and the second portion 308, although a suitable height difference between the edge of the inclined ramp 318 and the second portion 308 can be incorporated into a liquid-tight container. In a further example, the end of the inclined ramp 318 may terminate before meeting the second portion 308 such that the flat surface of the first portion 306 is adjacent the inclined ramp 318 and between the inclined ramp 318 and the second portion 308. The slope of the inclined ramp 318 may be any angle suitable to allow insect larvae to move through the ramp toward the second portion 308.

In this example, the liquid-tight container 300 includes a heat source 320, such as a resistive heating element, a heating pad, an incandescent bulb, or any other suitable device that can heat the liquid in the liquid-tight container 300. The heat source 320 may be located near the fluid-tight container 300 or attached to the fluid-tight container 300. For example, the heat source 320 shown in FIG. 3 is a heating pad located below the base 302 of the fluid-tight container 300. The heating pad extends entirely under the substrate 302, although in some examples, the heating pad may only extend partially under the substrate 302. Heat source 320 may be positioned to heat the liquid by applying heat to liquid-tight container 300, such as where a heating pad extends below base 302, or by applying heat directly to the liquid.

In some examples, liquid-tight container 300 can include or be controlled by computing device 317, and computing device 317 can control various features of liquid-tight container 300. For example, the computing device 317 may turn the light source 312 on or off, or adjust the brightness of the light source 312. It may turn on or off the vibration generator 314 or adjust the intensity of the vibration generator 314. The computing device 317 may also turn the heat source 320 on or off, or adjust the output of the heat source 320, based on signals and information received by a processor in the computing device 317 from the temperature measurement device 316, in order to adjust the temperature of the liquid found in the liquid-tight container 300. However, in some examples, the computing device 317 may provide more specific functionality and greater control over the device used with the liquid-tight container 300, such as allowing for the simultaneous application of various stimuli on a programmed schedule. Although fig. 3 depicts only a single computing device 317, it should be understood that multiple computing devices 317 may be used to dispatch various processing tasks. Thus, some examples may divide processing among multiple computing devices 317 to distribute processing requirements. Further details regarding the details of computing device 317 are discussed below in conjunction with fig. 10.

In addition, chemicals may be used to promote separation of larvae from egg hatching debris. For example, a chemical deterrent 322, such as ethanol or alcohol, may be added to the liquid near the groove 310, or may be applied or adhered to the surface of the first portion 306. Or a chemical attractant 324, such as a food product, may be added to the liquid found in the second portion 308 or may be applied or attached to the surface of the second portion 308. In some examples, both the chemical deterrent 322 and the chemoattractant 324 may be used to promote larval separation.

Many of the features discussed above provide a stimulus to promote separation of larvae from egg hatching debris, but examples according to the present disclosure are not limited to those listed above. It will be appreciated that any suitable stimulus may be used to help promote separation of the larvae from the debris. For example, air bubbles generated by placing an air pump under the liquid surface, low temperatures generated by an air conditioning or cooling system, vibrations generated by the vibration generator 314 or by a moveable substrate located below the liquid-tight container, mechanical agitation using a rod inserted into the liquid, and electric current generated by the generator can all be used as stimuli to promote larval separation.

Referring now to fig. 4, fig. 4 shows another example of a liquid-tight container 400 for egg hatching and larval separation. In this example, the fluid-tight container 400 includes the same features as discussed with reference to fig. 1. The fluid-tight container 400 includes a base 402, at least one wall 404, a first portion 406, a second portion 408, and a recess 410. Further, in this example, the liquid-tight container 400 includes a partition member 412. The separation member 412 may assist in the separation of insect larvae from egg hatching debris by allowing insect larvae to move from one side of the separation member 412 to the other through the gap between the substrate 402 and the separation member 412 while preventing floating insect egg hatching debris from moving past the separation member 412.

A partition member 412 extends over the base 402 and between two of the at least one wall 404. In this example, the partition member 412 extends over a region of the substrate 402 where the first portion 406 and the second portion 408 meet. In further examples, the partition member 412 may extend over only the first portion 406, only the second portion 408, or both the first portion 406 and the second portion 408. The partition member 412 may be formed as a single unit with the two wall sections of the at least one wall 404, or may be attached to the two wall sections after the liquid-tight container 400 is formed. The partition member 412 is shown in fig. 4 as being attached to the two wall sections at a right angle. However, it should be understood that the partition member 412 may be attached to the two wall sections at any suitable angle. In some examples, the partition member 412 may be made of the same material as the fluid-tight container 400, or a different material. The partition member 412 extends from the upper edge of the two wall sections of the at least one wall 404 towards the base 402. However, the partition member 412 will not contact the substrate 402. Instead, a gap is formed between the lower end of the partition member 412 and the substrate 402. In some examples, the partition member 412 extends a distance into the liquid.

Referring now to fig. 5, fig. 5 shows another example of a liquid-tight container 500 for egg hatching and larval separation. In this example, the fluid-tight container 500 includes the same features discussed above with reference to fig. 1. The fluid-tight container 500 includes a base 502, at least one wall 504, a first portion 506, a second portion 508, and a recess 510. Further, the fluid-tight container 500 comprises a vent 512, in this example the vent 512 is a resealable aperture. The resealable aperture 512 allows liquid and insect larvae to drain from the second portion 508, such as into another container to transport larvae to the larvae rearing container or directly into the larvae rearing container. The resealable aperture 512 may be appropriately sized to allow passage of liquid and insect larvae, and may be positioned anywhere in the second portion 508 where liquid and insect larvae may still be discharged through the resealable aperture 512. In addition, the fluid-tight container 500 may include more than one resealable aperture 512 to drain liquid and insect larvae from the second portion 508. There may also be a resealable aperture 512 in the first portion 506 which may help retain any debris from being expelled with the larvae. In some examples, only enough liquid is drained such that insect larvae drain from second portion 508.

Referring now to fig. 6, fig. 6 shows another example of a liquid-tight container 600 for egg hatching and larval separation. In this example, the fluid-tight container 600 includes the same features discussed above with reference to fig. 1. The fluid-tight container 600 includes a base 602, at least one wall 604, a first portion 606, a second portion 608, and a recess 610. Further, in this example, the fluid-tight container 600 includes a pump 612. A pump 612 draws liquid and insect larvae from the second portion 608 to another location, such as into another container to transport the larvae to a larva rearing container or directly into the larva rearing container. The pump 612 may be appropriately sized to allow liquid and insect larvae to pass through, and may be positioned anywhere in the second portion 608 where liquid and insect larvae may still be removed by the pump 612. In addition, the fluid-tight container 600 may include more than one pump 612. A plurality of pumps 612 may be positioned in the second portion 608, or pumps 612 may be positioned in the first portion 606 and the second portion 608 to help retain any debris from being removed with the larvae. In some examples, only enough liquid is extracted to extract insect larvae from second portion 608.

In some examples, the resealable aperture 512 discussed with respect to fig. 5 and/or the pump 612 discussed with respect to fig. 6 may be connected to a conduit or tube that flows through the larval counter. This may lead to an even more efficient process as the larvae do not need to be counted manually.

Referring now to fig. 7 and 8, fig. 7 and 8 show additional examples of liquid-tight containers 100 for egg hatching and larval separation. In the example shown in fig. 7, the fluid-tight container 700 includes the same features discussed above with reference to fig. 1. The fluid-tight container 700 includes a base 702, at least one wall 704, a first portion 706, a second portion 708, and a recess 710. In addition, the liquid-tight container 700 includes an opaque cover 712 to create a darker environment in the second portion 708 and to encourage insect larvae to move to the second portion 708 after hatching in the first portion 706. As mentioned above, some insect larvae may prefer dark areas over light areas. Thus, the opaque cover 712 may be used to create a pleasant environment for the hatched larvae. The opaque cover 712 may be removable from the liquid-tight container 700, or it may be formed as a single unit with the liquid-tight container 700. Further, the opaque cover may extend over the entire second portion 708, or may only partially cover the second portion 708.

In the example shown in fig. 8, the fluid-tight container 800 includes the same features discussed above with reference to fig. 1. The fluid-tight container 800 includes a base 802, at least one wall 804, a first portion 806, a second portion 808, and a recess 810. Further, the fluid-tight container 800 includes a substantially translucent or transparent cover 812 that extends over the entire fluid-tight container 800. The cover 812 may prevent dust, debris, or other contaminants from reaching the liquid and/or insect larvae. The lid 812 may also serve as an additional surface on which features (e.g., those described in fig. 3) may be attached to the fluid-tight container 800. The lid 812 may be removable from the fluid-tight container 800. Lid 812 may also include an opening to allow oxygen to flow to fluid-tight container 800 and/or to enter a liquid or interior of fluid-tight container 800 for any of the features described above in fig. 3, such as light source 312, vibration generator 314, temperature measurement device 316, or heat source 320, or any other feature that may be included with fluid-tight container 800.

Referring now to fig. 9, fig. 9 shows an example method 900 for separating insect larvae from insect egg hatching debris according to the present disclosure. An example method 900 will be discussed with reference to the fluid-tight container 300 shown in fig. 3. However, it will be appreciated that any suitable system may be employed to separate insect larvae from insect egg hatching debris, such as the systems shown in figures 1-2, figures 4-8 or figure 11.

At block 910, a fluid-tight container 300 and a liquid contained in the fluid-tight container 300 are provided, as discussed above with respect to fig. 3. Here, the fluid-tight container 300 includes a base 302, the base 302 having a first portion 306 colored with a first color and defining a recess 310, as discussed above. The substrate 302 has a second portion 308 colored with a second color darker than the first color. The fluid-tight container 300 also includes at least one wall 304 that surrounds the base 302 and is coupled to the base 302 to form a fluid-tight seal. The first color of the first portion 306 may continue on the at least one wall 304 in contact with the first portion 306 and the second color of the second portion 308 may continue on the at least one wall in contact with the second portion 308.

At block 912, a plurality of insect eggs are dispensed into the liquid-tight container 300. In some examples, eggs are dispensed into the recess 310. As discussed above, any suitably sized recess 310 may be incorporated into the first portion 306 to receive the dispensed eggs and allow larvae to hatch from those eggs. Eggs may be dispensed manually by a user or using an automated machine.

At block 914, additional features may be included with the liquid-tight container 300 to apply a stimulus, or in some examples multiple stimuli, to the liquid-tight container 300 in order to assist in separating larvae from egg hatching debris. For example, light may be emitted by at least one light source 312, the at least one light source 312 positioned to emit light through the translucent portion 305 of the at least one wall 304 of the liquid-tight container 300, as discussed above with respect to fig. 3. As discussed above, the vibration generator 314 may be used to output mechanical vibrations to the first portion 306. In some examples, the chemical attractant 324 may be introduced to the second portion 308 and/or the chemical deterrent 322 may be introduced to the first portion 306, as discussed above. Further, heat may be applied to the fluid-tight container 300 and/or directly to the liquid using the heat source 320, as discussed above with respect to fig. 3.

The computing device 317 may be used to apply the stimulus or adjust the application of the stimulus. For example, temperature measurement device 316 may output a signal that includes temperature information received by a processor in computing device 317. The processor may then adjust the heat setting of the heat source 320 based on the temperature information. In some examples, liquid-tight container 300 can include a sensor that can monitor various stimuli applied to the liquid-tight container and send information related to the stimuli to a processor to allow computing device 317 to adjust the application of the stimuli.

Due to the configuration of the liquid-tight container 300 and the application of any stimulus, the insect larvae are encouraged to separate themselves.

At block 916, at least one larva hatched from an egg of the plurality of insect eggs dispensed into the liquid-tight container 300 is removed from the second portion 308 of the liquid-tight container 300. As discussed above, after larvae hatch from insect eggs distributed in the first portion 306, they will move to the second portion 308. This is due in part to the color and structure of the liquid-tight container 300, as some insect larvae prefer to be in dark areas. In addition, applying a stimulus to the first portion 306, such as light from the light source 312 or mechanical vibration from the vibration generator 314, will encourage larvae to move to the second portion 308, as insect larvae tend to escape the stimulus. The at least one larva may be removed from the second portion 308 by: manually by a user, through a resealable drain 512 or pump 612 as discussed above with respect to fig. 5 and 6, respectively, or by any other suitable method of removing larvae from the liquid-tight container 300.

For example, referring again to fig. 5, larvae may be removed from the second portion 508 by draining larvae and some liquid from the liquid-tight container 500 via the resealable drain 512. As another example, referring to fig. 6, larvae may be removed from the second portion 608 by pumping the larvae and some liquid out of the liquid-tight container 600 via pump 612.

At block 918, the processor 1010, which will be discussed further below in connection with fig. 10, receives at least one sensor signal from a sensor indicating that larvae are being removed from the second portion 308. For example, when larvae flow through a laser, they can be detected using a flow cytometer. In addition, a light curtain can be used to detect larvae as they flow past and break the light beam.

At block 920, processor 1010 counts the larvae based on the sensor signals. In some examples, processor 1010 increments a counter based on each sensed larva passing the sensor. In some examples, processor 1010 resets its counter before a new batch of larvae hatch out in liquid-tight container 300; however, in some examples, processor 1010 may maintain a running count of all sensed larvae from multiple batches or multiple larvae.

Referring now to fig. 10, fig. 10 shows an example computing device 1000 suitable for use in an example device or method for egg hatching and larval separation according to the present disclosure. The example computing device 1000 includes a processor 1010 that communicates with a memory 1020 and other components of the computing device 1000 using one or more communication buses 1002. The processor 1010 executes processor-executable instructions stored in the memory 1020 to facilitate egg hatching and larval separation, such as the instructions of some or all of the example method 900 described above with reference to fig. 9. In this example, the computing device 1000 also includes one or more user input devices 1050, such as a keyboard, mouse, touch screen, microphone, etc., to accept user input. Computing device 1000 also includes a display 1040 that provides visual output to a user.

Computing device 1000 also includes a communication interface 1030. In some examples, communication interface 1030 may enable communications using one or more networks, including a local area network ("LAN"); a wide area network ("WAN"), such as the Internet; metropolitan area networks ("MANs"); a point-to-point or peer-to-peer connection; and so on. Communication with other devices may be accomplished using any suitable network protocol. For example, one suitable network protocol may include Internet protocol ("IP"), Transmission control protocol ("TCP"), user Datagram protocol ("UDP"), or a combination thereof, such as TCP/IP or UDP/IP.

Although some examples of the methods and apparatus herein are described in terms of software executing on various machines, the methods and apparatus may also be implemented as specially configured hardware, such as Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) specifically designed to perform the various methods. For example, examples may be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, or in computer hardware, firmware, software, or in combinations of them. In one example, an apparatus may include one or more processors. The processor includes a computer readable medium, such as Random Access Memory (RAM), coupled to the processor. The processor executes computer-executable program instructions stored in the memory, such as executing one or more computer programs. Such processors may include microprocessors, Digital Signal Processors (DSPs), Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), and state machines. Such a processor may further include programmable electronic devices such as a PLC, a Programmable Interrupt Controller (PIC), a Programmable Logic Device (PLD), a programmable read-only memory (PROM), an electronically programmable read-only memory (EPROM or EEPROM), or other similar devices.

Such a processor may include, or may be in communication with, a medium, such as a computer-readable storage medium, which may store instructions that, when executed by the processor, may cause the processor to perform steps described herein as being performed or assisted by the processor. Examples of a computer-readable medium may include, but are not limited to, an electronic, optical, magnetic, or other storage device capable of providing a processor (such as a processor in a network server) with computer-readable instructions. Other examples of media include, but are not limited to, floppy disks, CD-ROMs, magnetic disks, memory chips, ROMs, RAMs, ASICs, configured processors, all optical media, all magnetic tape or other magnetic media, or any other medium from which a computer processor can read. The described processors and processes may be in one or more structures and may be distributed through one or more structures. The processor may include code for performing one or more of the methods (or portions of methods) described herein.

The foregoing description of some examples has been presented for purposes of illustration and description only and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and adaptations thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

Reference herein to an example or implementation means that a particular feature, structure, operation, or other characteristic described in connection with the example can be included in at least one implementation of the present disclosure. The present disclosure is not limited to the particular examples or embodiments so described. The appearances of the phrases "in one example," "in an example," "in one implementation," or "in an implementation," or variations thereof in various places throughout the specification are not necessarily referring to the same example or implementation. Any particular feature, structure, operation, or other characteristic described in this specification in connection with one example or implementation may be combined with other features, structures, operations, or other characteristics described in connection with any other example or implementation.

The word "OR" as used herein is intended to encompass both inclusive and exclusive OR conditions. In other words, a or B or C includes any or all of the following alternative combinations as appropriate for a particular use: a alone; b alone; c alone; only A and B; only A and C; only B and C; and A, B and C.