Zofobas breeding is a topic that interests many owners of exotic animals. These insects are an excellent living food for large spiders, lizards, scorpions and other unusual domestic animals. Growing them up for sale can be quite profitable.
basic information
Before considering breeding zofobasa as a business, you should study what this insect is in general. Therefore, let's dwell on this in more detail. Zofobas belongs to the class of beetles of the black beetle family. In nature, this species lives in the radius of the junction of North and South America. These insects are also widespread in Cuba. The natural habitat for the zofobas is tropical forests. Adults can be found in deciduous bedding or under rotten decks. A distinctive feature of this species is an unpleasant putrefactive odor. However, this "highlight" of animals only attracts.
The breeding period of this type of insect lasts throughout the year. Most often, the female lays eggs in the habitats of bats. Guano is commonly used as a nutrient substrate for larvae. At home, this component can be completely replaced with wood shavings. Suitable wood of any species, except coniferous.
Development of individuals
Let's dwell on this in more detail. Industrial breeding of zofobas requires certain knowledge of the insect's life cycle. An individual lives on average 4 months. During this time, it goes through all the cycles characteristic of insects. The larva hatches from an egg 1.5 mm in size. At the time of birth, the insect has a length of up to 0.5 cm and a weight of 1.5 grams. Each body segment has a very original color. There is a dark stripe at the front edge, in the middle you can see a pattern of dots, and the general color of the insect is light yellow. The head and lower part of the grown larva become darker. The pupa is cream colored. The surface of the body is covered with powerful bristles. At this stage, the size of the insect can already reach 3 cm. In the adult stage, the insect grows to 3.5 cm and acquires a matte black color. After molting, adults first become white, and after a few hours - red or light brown. This color persists for two days.
Development features
How to grow zofobas? Breeding at home is not particularly difficult in the presence of a favorable atmosphere. Already after 8-12 days, larvae appear that grow another 1.5-2 months. Over a lifetime, a female can lay up to 1,500 eggs. In one masonry, usually up to 60 pieces. The ability to procreate in individuals occurs already at the age of 2 weeks. The female lays eggs about a week after mating.
How to breed?
So what do you need to know about this? Many breeders of exotic animals are interested in such an unusual source of income as breeding zofobasa on an industrial scale. There are two ways to cultivate insects: this is cultivation with separate and mixed content depending on the stage. The first option involves transplanting insects into a separate container with the onset of a new stage of development, and the second - growing in one cage.
We select a place
This aspect should be given special significance. The keeping and breeding of zofobas can be carried out in any container made of plastic or glass. The main condition is a large bottom surface. The most optimal container sizes are 30-50 cm around the perimeter and 30 cm in height. Smaller containers may be used for incubation. The main condition is the presence of a tightly closed lid with perforation for free air flow into the container. It is also recommended to arrange a lower tan. You can use special racks for work.
The ambient temperature in which the breeding of zofobas is carried out should be from 26 to 28 degrees. Recommended humidity level is 70%. Lighting does not play a special role here, but it is better to avoid direct sunlight.
Habitat
Zofobas breeding is usually carried out in a substrate or mixture of peat, sawdust, coconut, wood dust and similar components of plant origin. To give the soil friability, fine expanded clay, vermiculite and sand are used. Insects can receive food both directly from the substrate, and from special feeders.
Nutrition
What does zofobas eat? Breeding at home these insects usually does not cause much difficulty. The diet is quite simple - bones, meat and prepared food for cats and dogs. You can also add chopped vegetables, fruits, bran, cereal and combined bird food to the diet. To improve growth and development, larvae should add animal protein to their food.
How to care?
It is advisable to familiarize yourself with this aspect in the first place. For a stable receipt of animal feed, a population of 30-40 individuals will be sufficient. When breeding, the imago is placed in a uterine cage filled with milk powder or infant formula. Females will lay eggs in this substrate. The presence of masonry should be checked every 3-4 days. When they appear, it is necessary to replace containers infected with masonry with new ones. Containers with masonry are placed in an incubation container and placed in a thermostat with a constant temperature of 28-30 degrees and a humidity level of 70-90%. After emergence, larvae should be kept at the same temperature and humidity as adults. When signs of readiness for pupation appear, the larvae should be transplanted into other containers. At the end of the incubation period, the decorated pupae are again placed in the uterine cage.
Unusual use
Zofobas breeding is of interest not only to owners of exotic animals, but also to lovers of a healthy lifestyle. These insects are high in protein and minerals. According to experienced specialists, with the right method of preparation, the larvae have a pleasant almond flavor. However, it is better to start enjoying this delicacy with small portions. Otherwise, a serious allergy may appear.
It is possible to establish your own production of zofobas at home in such a way as to receive 1-2 kg of delicacy weekly. Prepare insects by roasting. The main thing here is to observe the correct temperature regime. Otherwise, the larvae can splash the entire premises with entrails. Frying is carried out until a brown crust appears on the insects. After that, they should be well salted and pepper. In Latin America, such a dish is considered a delicacy.
In production conditions
Industrial insect breeding is used in large industries such as poultry farms. However, the breeding process in this case is not very pleasant, since a dead bird is usually used as food for larvae.
Conclusion
In this review, we examined in detail how the breeding of zophobos is carried out. The main advantage of such a business is its simplicity. Larvae grow quite quickly. Special conditions for growing are not required. It is enough just to provide the necessary level of humidity and temperature. As food for insects, even pet food is suitable. You can also add some plant foods: cabbage, apples, carrots and so on.
It is easiest to contain insects in special containers made of glass or plastic. Tanks should be equipped with tight-fitting lids with perforation for air intake. As a habitat, you can use wood shavings. Breeding insects can be carried out both separately and mixed type. The first option involves the separation of individuals in accordance with the stages of development, and the second is the provision of a shared habitat.
We hope that the presented material was not only interesting to you, but also useful.