JP7740658B2 - Bagworm egg collection device, and bagworm mating and egg collection methods using the same - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a bagworm moth egg collection device and a simple and efficient method for mating and collecting eggs of bagworm moths using the same.

Bagworms, the larvae of moths belonging to the Psychidae family, hide in spindle- or cylindrical nests (bag nests) made by entangling pieces of leaves or branches with the silk they spin, and spend their entire larval stage living with the nest, even moving around with the nest when feeding. Bagworm silk, which is spun by bagworms, has recently attracted attention as a highly useful new animal-derived natural fiber (Patent Document 1 and Non-Patent Document 1).

To commercialize bagworm silk, it is essential to establish techniques for mass-rearing and propagation of bagworms. However, the bagworm silk industry is still in its infancy, and breeding techniques are still under development. Bagworms are obtained solely through wild collection, which is a major obstacle to the commercialization of bagworm silk. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop artificial mating and egg-laying techniques for bagworms. It would be possible to rear bagworms by applying the breeding techniques for silkworms, which are both larvae of the same order Lepidoptera and have already been established in the sericulture industry. However, this cannot be applied because the mating and egg-laying patterns of bagworms are significantly different from those of silkworms.

In the case of silkworm moths, natural mating can be induced simply by placing adult female moths (often referred to herein as "female moths") and adult male moths (often referred to herein as "male moths") in a restricted space such as a box after emergence so that they can come into contact with each other. Artificial mating can also be achieved by the hand-pairing method, in which mating is achieved by artificially forcing the abdominal ends of male and female moths into contact with each other. Furthermore, if a mated female moth is placed on paper,
The female moths begin laying eggs on the paper without eating afterwards, so egg collection is very easy as all you need to do is collect the paper after egg laying.

On the other hand, in the case of bag moths, the adult forms of males and females differ significantly in many species. Male moths of all species have the form of a typical moth, but female moths have an extremely unique form that cannot be recognized as a moth at first glance. In particular, in evolutionarily new species within the Psychidae family, such as the giant bag moth and brown bag moth, female moths have degenerated most of their motor and sensory organs, and only have wings,
It has a maggot-like morphology, lacking legs, compound eyes, antennae, and mouthparts (Fig. 1A-a).

Also, during the metamorphosis from larva to pupa, the bagworm does not make a cocoon like the silkworm, but pupates in the nest where it spent its larval stage. During the pre-pupa stage, it pupates upside down in the nest with its head facing downwards,
After emerging, male moths make a hole at the bottom of the nest to escape, but female moths do not shed their puparium (Fig. 1A-b) even after emerging, and because they have completely lost the ability to move, they spend the rest of their lives within the nest without venturing out into the outside world.

Due to the unique biology described above, the mating and oviposition patterns of the bagworm moth are also extremely unique. The female moth protrudes its head from the opening at the bottom of the nest and releases a sex pheromone. The male moth, attracted by this, reaches the nest where the female moth is hiding (Fig. 1B-c) and inserts its abdomen into the opening at the bottom of the nest for mating (Fig. 1B-d). However, the female moth's copulation hole is located at the very back of the nest, inside the puparium. The male moth then extends its abdomen and inserts it between the female moth's abdomen and the puparium, then finds the copulation hole at the tip of the female moth's abdomen and completes mating (Fig. 1C). After mating, the female moth lays eggs inside the puparium, which remain there until they hatch.

Artificial mating is also possible with bagworm moths. However, unlike the hand-pairing method used with silkworm moths, the method used is simply to insert the abdomen of a male moth into the opening at the bottom of the nest where the female moth is hiding (Non-Patent Document 2). This method not only makes it impossible to grasp the condition of the female moths in the nest, but also
Because the position of the female moth's copulatory hole cannot be confirmed from outside the nest, the male moth's copulatory organ cannot be accurately guided to the female moth's copulatory hole, resulting in very low mating efficiency. Also, because mating and its release cannot be visually confirmed, there are problems such as the pairing being released even before mating has occurred, making it impossible to collect fertilized eggs, and conversely, the female's copulatory hole being damaged by forcibly releasing the pairing of individuals who are mating. Furthermore, it is not possible to check from outside the nest whether eggs have been laid, so the female moth's nest had to be cut open after mating to check the egg mass inside the puparium. If the nest is opened before eggs have been laid, there is also the problem that eggs cannot be collected again.

WO2019/003364

Shigeyoshi Osaki, 2002, Journal of the Society of Fiber Science and Technology (Fibers and Industry), 58: 74-78 Sawada, S., Arakawa, R., 2002, Jpn.J.Ent (NS), 5 (4): 111-119

The object of the present invention is to develop and provide a simple and efficient method for mating of the bagworm moth, and an apparatus for carrying out the method.

The object of the present invention is to develop and provide a method for easily collecting eggs from bagworms and a method for preparing large quantities of first-instar bagworms.

In order to solve the above problems, the present inventors first developed a method for viewing the inside of the puparium using an X-ray device. This method makes it possible to observe the inside of the nest and the inside of the puparium even from outside the nest. However, the X-ray device requires a lot of trouble to transport and set up, and it takes time and effort to perform the viewing. Furthermore, not only the equipment but also the running costs are very high,
The effects of X-ray irradiation on living organisms and cells cannot be ruled out. Therefore, it was not realistic to implement the project in terms of efficiency and cost.

Next, the inventors removed a female bagworm moth from the nest and puparium and then attempted forced mating by directly contacting the abdominal ends of the female and male moths. In the case of silkworm moths, forced mating can be achieved by opening the grasping organ at the abdominal end of the male moth with tweezers or the like and grasping the abdominal end of the female moth. However, male bagworm moths do not have an organ shaped like a grasping organ to grasp the female's abdomen. Therefore, the mating success rate was extremely low when using the hand-pairing method used with silkworm moths.

Therefore, after removing the female moth from the nest, mating was carried out while the puparium was still in place.
Mating was achieved with a very high success rate. This demonstrated that while a nest is not necessary for mating in the bagworm moth, it is important for the female moth to retain the puparium. Furthermore, this artificial puparium has the same effect as a natural one. Therefore, by using a pseudopuparium made of a transparent material or an opaque material with multiple micropores, the position of the female moth's copulatory opening can be confirmed from the outside, and by finely adjusting the angle and direction, the male moth's copulatory organ can be accurately guided to the female moth's copulatory opening. Furthermore, mating success, release, and the presence or absence of egg laying can be visually confirmed. This allows the mating process to be observed, dramatically improving mating success rates and egg collection efficiency. Furthermore, the placement of a removable auxiliary member within the artificial puparium makes it easier to remove eggs from the artificial puparium. Furthermore, providing ventilation holes in the artificial puparium prevents the eggs from becoming damp and developing mold. In addition, the eggs obtained can be easily washed, and trans-ovo infection can be prevented by sterilization or disinfection. The present invention is based on these novel findings and provides the following.

(1) A bagworm moth egg collection device consisting of a tubular container, the egg collection device having an insertion hole with an inner diameter that fits a female bagworm moth adult, a storage section that can accommodate all or part of the female adult's abdomen, and an egg-holding section that holds eggs after oviposition.
(2) The egg collection device according to (1), wherein the egg holding section has a ventilation means.
(3) An egg collection device according to (1) or (2), wherein the egg-holding section has a detachable egg-receiving means therein for storing and collecting eggs after spawning.
(4) An egg collection device according to any one of (1) to (3), which has a lid portion that closes the insertion hole.
(5) The tubular container is entirely or partially made of a transparent material or a light-transmitting material.
10. An egg collection device according to any one of (1) to (4).
(6) The egg collection device according to (3), wherein the egg receiving means is made of a thin film made of a transparent or translucent material.
(7) An egg collection table is provided on which the egg collection device is placed so that the insertion hole faces upward, (1) to (7)
(6) An egg collection device according to any one of the above.
(8) A mating method for P. japonica moths, comprising a mating step of inserting a female adult P. japonica moth into an insertion hole of a P. japonica moth egg collector described in any one of (1) to (7) from the end of its abdomen and fitting its abdomen into the insertion hole, and a mating step of inserting the end of the abdomen of a male adult P. japonica moth between the insertion hole and the abdomen of the female adult P. japonica moth to allow mating.
(9) The mating method described in (8), wherein the female adult individuals of the bagworm moth are wingless and legless morphological species.
(10) The mating method described in (8) or (9), wherein the female adult is an unmated individual.
(11) A method for collecting eggs of the bagworm moth, comprising: (1) collecting the eggs of the bagworm moth from the nest and the pupa;
(6) to (7), and a mating step of inserting the abdominal end of a male adult Psilocybe moth into an insertion hole of the egg collection device for Psilocybe moth described in any one of (1) to (5) above from the abdominal end and fitting the abdomen into the insertion hole; a mating step of inserting the abdominal end of a male adult Psilocybe moth between the insertion hole and the abdomen of the female adult Psilocybe moth to allow mating; and an egg-laying step of laying eggs in the egg-holding section of the egg collection device.
(12) The egg collection method according to (11), further comprising a female removal step of removing female individuals after the egg-laying step.
(13) A method for preparing first-instar bagworms, comprising an incubation step of incubating bagworm eggs obtained by the bagworm egg collection method described in (11) or (12) in the egg storage section, and a first-instar bagworm recovery step of recovering the hatched first-instar bagworms.
(14) A method for preparing first-instar bagworms, comprising an egg recovery step of recovering bagworm eggs obtained by the bagworm egg collection method described in (11) or (12) from the egg storage section, and an incubation step of keeping the recovered eggs warm.

According to the method for mating P. japonica moths using the P. japonica moth egg collector of the present invention, simple and efficient artificial mating of P. japonica moths is possible.

According to the method for collecting Psilocybe moth eggs using the Psilocybe moth egg collector of the present invention, Psilocybe moth eggs can be obtained easily and in large quantities.

According to the method for preparing first-instar bagworms of the present invention, first-instar bagworms can be prepared easily and in large quantities.

A: A diagram showing the morphology (a) of a female moth of the giant silk moth removed from a nest and its puparium (b). B: An image of giant silk moths mating outdoors. In the figure, c shows the nest containing the female moth, and d shows the male moth. C: A conceptual diagram showing the inside of a female moth nest during mating. Female moths (0103) of the giant silk moth and other moths hide in the puparium (0102) within the nest with their heads (0105) facing downwards towards the opening of the nest (0101), and spend their entire lives within the nest as larvae after emerging. Male moths (0104) are capable of flight and are attracted by the sex pheromones emitted by the female moths and reach the nest where the female moths are hiding. When the male moth reaches the female moth's nest, it inserts its abdomen (0106) into the nest through the opening at the bottom, and while extending its abdomen, it finds the copulatory opening at the end of the female moth's abdomen at the very back of the puparium, inserts its copulatory organ into the opening, and mating is achieved. 1 is a conceptual diagram of the Psyche moth egg extractor of the present invention. A female moth and the egg masses laid are shown by dashed lines when placed in the Psyche moth egg extractor of the present invention. Figures showing artificial mating of giant silkworm moths using the Psilocybe moth egg collector of the present invention. A: A diagram of a female Psilocybe moth placed in the Psilocybe moth egg collector of the present invention. This figure shows a Psilocybe moth egg collector made by improving a 1.5 mL tube. B: A diagram showing artificial mating with the abdominal end of a male moth inserted between the female moth shown in A and the Psilocybe moth egg collector. C: A diagram showing a pair of Psilocybe moths mating in the Psilocybe moth egg collector of the present invention. The arrows in the figure indicate that mating has occurred. This is a diagram showing the abdominal end (0401) of a female moth of the giant silkmoth, which lays eggs in the egg-holding section of the Psyche egg collector of the present invention, and the laid egg mass (0402). The egg mass consists of an average of 1,000 to 3,000 eggs. This is a diagram showing the preparation of first-instar bagworms of the giant silkworm moth using the bagworm egg collector of the present invention.A: A diagram showing a large number of giant silkworm egg masses collected by the bagworm egg collection method of the present invention being kept warm in the egg holding section of the bagworm egg collector of the present invention.B: A diagram showing first-instar bagworms of the giant silkworm moth that have hatched after the incubation process using the method for preparing first-instar bagworms of the present invention.In addition to the large number of first-instar bagworms in the egg holding section of the bagworm egg collector, a first-instar bagworm (arrow) that has escaped to the outside of the bagworm egg collector is also shown.The first-instar bagworms are then collected in the first-instar bagworm collection process.The bagworm egg collector in this figure uses a sponge plug as a ventilation means. Figures 1A and 1B show the configuration of the egg-receiving means in the Psilocybean bagworm egg collector of the present invention, and a conceptual diagram of its use. Figure 1A shows one embodiment of the Psilocybean bagworm egg collector of the present invention equipped with an egg-receiving means. This figure shows a configuration in which a thin film is pushed into the entire interior of the egg collector as the egg-receiving means. Figures 1B to 1D show the placement of female Psilocybean bagworm moths (B), egg-laying (C), and egg mass collection (D). Figure 1E shows the egg-receiving means removed from the Psilocybean bagworm egg collector and unfolded, showing the collected egg mass (0604).

1. Psilocybe moth egg collection device 1-1. Overview The first aspect of the present invention is a device for collecting eggs from Psilocybe moths. The device for collecting eggs of the present invention is composed of a tubular container. The device for collecting eggs of the present invention not only facilitates artificial mating of Psilocybe moths and improves mating efficiency, but also enables easy and stable egg collection.

1-2. Definitions of Terms The following terms frequently used in this specification are defined below.
"Baby moth" is a general term for moths belonging to the family Psychidae in the order Lepidoptera. In this specification, unless otherwise specified, the term "baby moth" refers to an adult baby moth, regardless of gender. Furthermore, in this specification, "adult females (individuals)" and "adult males (individuals)" are often referred to as "female moths" and "male moths," respectively.

Although the species of bagworm moth targeted in this specification is not limited, it is preferable that the female moth is a wingless, legless morphological species. Here, "wingless, legless morphological species" refers to a bagworm moth species in which the female moth has a morphology in which the wings and legs have degenerated. This wingless, legless morphological species also includes species in which sensory organs such as compound eyes, antennae, and mouthparts have degenerated, resulting in an external morphology resembling a maggot. Genera containing such wingless, legless morphological species are not limited, but are preferred, for example, to species belonging to Eumeta, Mahasena, Metura, Thyridopteryx, etc. Specifically, for example, the giant bagworm moth (Eumeta japonica), the brown bagworm moth (Eumeta minu), etc.
scula), Mahasena aurea, saunders case moth (Metura elongatus),
One example is the evergreen bagworm (Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis).

"Bagus" refers to the larvae of bagworms, regardless of species, sex, or age. As used herein, "first-instar bagworms" refers to bagworms in the period from hatching to the time of their first molt.

In this specification, "(bagworm) nest" refers to a nest built by a bagworm, and is made up of silk threads spun by the bagworm itself and materials such as leaf fragments and branch fragments bound together with the silk threads. The nest is sac-shaped and can be spindle-shaped, cylindrical, conical, or other shapes that can encase the entire body of the bagworm. During the larval stage, the bagworm basically hides within this nest, and as a rule, only exposes part of its body from the opening of the nest when feeding or moving. In addition, not only molting but also pupation takes place within the nest. Furthermore,
Female moths of some bagworm species live within the nest throughout their lives, including when they emerge from the nest, and mating also occurs through an opening at the bottom of the nest.

As used herein, the term "puparium" refers to the outer shell of the pupal stage. Unless otherwise specified, this refers to the puparium of a Psyche moth. The puparium is composed of cuticle, and as shown in Figure 1A-b,
It has the rigidity to maintain its original spindle shape even after the bagworm moth emerges. Normally, the puparium of an insect is discarded upon emergence, but in some female bagworm moth species, the puparium remains inside even after emergence, after opening an opening that allows the head and part of the thorax to be exposed. In bagworm moths with this ecology, the puparium serves as an egg-laying bed, and the female moth lays eggs inside the puparium.

1-3. Configuration The configuration of the Psilocybe moth egg collector of the present invention is shown in Figure 2. As shown in this figure, the Psilocybe moth egg collector (0201) of the present invention includes an insertion hole (0202), a storage section (0203), and an egg-holding section (0204) as essential components, and includes a lid section (0205) or an egg-laying table (0206) as optional components. Each component will be specifically described below.

1-3-1. Bagworm Egg Collector (1) Structure The Bagworm Egg Collector (0201) of the present invention is composed of a tubular container. In this specification, the term "tubular container" refers to a container having a tubular shape and an internal space capable of accommodating female Bagworm moth adults. In addition, in the Bagworm Egg Collector, at least one end of the tubular container is open, and the internal space is in contact with the outside world through the opening.

The external shape of the Psilocybe egg collector is composed of a storage section (0203), an egg-holding section (0204), and an insertion hole (
0202). For example, the Psilocyst Moth egg collector may have a parallel tube shape (e.g., a cylindrical or prismatic shape) in which the cross section of the short axis is substantially uniform throughout, a pyramidal shape (e.g., a spindle shape, a conical shape, or a pyramidal shape) in which the cross section of the short axis gradually decreases toward the end, or a combination thereof. Here, the "short axis cross section" refers to a cross section including a short axis perpendicular to the long axis of the Psilocyst Moth egg collector. Considering that the Psilocyst Moth egg collector of the present invention is an artificial puparium simulating a Psilocyst Moth puparium, except when a natural puparium of the Psilocyst Moth itself is used, the external shape of the Psilocyst Moth egg collector is preferably the same as or similar to a natural puparium. Examples include a spindle shape (including an approximately spindle shape) or a conical shape (including an approximately conical shape). Alternatively, the Psilocyst Moth egg collector may have a branched tubular structure. In this case, each branched end may have a storage section (0203).
), an egg holding portion (0204), and an insertion hole (0202).

There is no particular limit to the size of the bagworm egg collector. The length in the longitudinal direction varies depending on the type of bagworm used, the size of the individual bagworm, and the length of the components. It can be determined appropriately, taking into account the length of the storage section (0203) and the egg-holding section (0204) described later. Usually, it is 1.5 cm or more, 2.0 cm or more, 2.5 cm or more.
The width (outer diameter) of the Psilocybe saccharin egg collector may be 3.0 cm or more, 3.5 cm or more, 4.0 cm or more, or 4.5 cm or more, 10 cm or less, 9 cm or less, 8 cm or less, 7 cm or less, 6.5 cm or less, 6.0 cm or less, 5.5 cm or less, or 5.0 cm or less. Meanwhile, the length in the short axis direction, i.e., the width (outer diameter) of the Psilocybe saccharin egg collector, also varies depending on the species of Psilocybe saccharin used, the size of the individual moth, and the components it comprises. It may be determined appropriately taking into account the sizes of the insertion hole (0202), storage section (0203), and egg-holding section (0204), which will be described later. Furthermore, the width of the Psilocybe saccharin egg collector does not need to be uniform throughout, as in the cylindrical shape, but may gradually decrease from the top to the bottom of the egg-holding section, as in the spindle shape shown in Figure 2. The insertion hole must have an inner diameter large enough to fit the female Psilocybe saccharin abdomen, and the storage section must have an inner diameter large enough to accommodate the female Psilocybe saccharin abdomen; therefore, the width of the Psilocybe saccharin egg collector must be at least longer than these. For example, but not limited to, for large species such as the giant silk moth, the ranges are 4mm to 19mm, 5mm to 18mm, and 6mm to 17mm.
The range is 3mm to 1m, or 7mm to 16mm. For medium-sized species such as brown moths, the range is 3mm to 1
It may be in the range of 5 mm, 4 mm to 12 mm, or 5 mm to 10 mm.

The thickness of the bagworm egg collector is not limited. It may be determined appropriately taking into consideration the manufacturing cost, the rigidity of the material, etc. For example, the average thickness may be 0.5 mm or more, 0.6 mm or more, 0.7 mm or more, 0.8 mm or more, 0.9 mm or more, 1.0
The thickness may be 1.5 mm or more, 1.2 mm or more, or 1.5 mm or more. Preferably, the thickness is 3.0 mm or less, 2.8 mm or less, or 2.
The thickness is 5 mm or less, 2.2 mm or less, or 2.0 mm or less. The thickness may be uniform throughout, or may vary from part to part.

(2) Material The material of the bagworm egg collector is not particularly limited. It may be made of natural materials, artificial materials, or a combination of these. Here, natural materials include, for example, the bagworm's own pupa shell, metal (
Examples of artificial materials include synthetic resins (including thermoplastic resins, thermosetting resins, and synthetic rubber), ceramics (including ceramics and enamel), glass, paper, and carbon fiber. Examples of synthetic resins include polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, vinyl acetate, cellulose acetate, acrylic resin, and polycarbonate.

It is preferable that the material of the bagworm egg collector be entirely or partially transparent or translucent, because this allows the position of the copulatory opening of the female moth housed in the bagworm egg collector, the establishment and termination of mating, and the presence or absence of egg laying to be visually confirmed from the outside.

In this specification, the term "transparent material" refers to a material that has the property of very high light transmittance.
This property allows the opposite side to be clearly seen through the material. Examples of transparent materials include glass, polyethylene, polystyrene, polycarbonate, and acrylic resin.

In this specification, the term "translucent material" refers to a material that has the property of transmitting light. Although light transmittance is lower than that of transparent materials, the condition on the other side can be fully confirmed through the material. Specific examples of translucent materials include, but are not limited to, polypropylene.

On the other hand, even if the material is opaque or non-translucent, by providing minute holes in the storage section (0203) and/or egg-holding section (0204) of the egg collector, the female moths stored therein can be visually observed from the outside, just like in transparent materials, and at the same time, the breathability of the storage section and egg-holding section can be improved. The diameter of the holes in such microporous materials can be 10 nm to 500 μm, 12 nm to 400 μm, 15 nm to 300 μm, 18 nm to 300 μm, 19 nm to 400 μm, 20 nm to 200 μm, 21 nm to 250 μm, 22 nm to 250 μm, 24 nm to 300 μm, 25 nm to 300 μm, 26 nm to 300 μm, 27 nm to 300 μm, 28 nm to 400 μm, 29 nm to 400 μm, 31 nm to 300 μm, 32 nm to 320 μm, 33 nm to 330 μm, 34 nm to 340 μm, 35 nm to 350 μm, 36 nm to 360 μm, 37 nm to 370 μm, 38 nm to 380 μm, 39 nm to 400 μm, 41 nm to 410 μm, 42 nm to 420 μm, 43 nm to 430 μm, 44 nm to 440 μm, 45 nm to 450 μm, 46 nm to 460 μm, 47 nm to 470 μm, 48 nm to 480 μm, 49 nm to 500 μm, 50 nm to 500 μm, 51
The diameter may be between 200 μm, 20 nm and 150 μm, 25 nm and 120 μm, or 30 nm and 100 μm. There are no restrictions on the number of holes. This may be determined appropriately taking into consideration the shape, size, rigidity, and degree of internal visibility of the storage section and egg holding section of the egg collection device.

Examples of tubular containers having the shapes, sizes, and materials listed above and usable as devices for collecting P. mongolica eggs include 1.5 mL tubes, conical tubes, and centrifuge tubes.

1-3-2. Insertion hole The "insertion hole" (0202) is a hole opened in the tubular container of the bagworm moth egg collector to accommodate the female moth in the next-mentioned accommodation section (0203). After emerging, the female bagworm moth opens a hole on the head side of the puparium so that part of her body can be exposed from the puparium. The insertion hole is a hole that imitates the opening of the bagworm moth egg collector with an artificial puparium.

The insertion hole has an inner diameter that fits into the abdomen of a female moth. The insertion hole is configured so that it can grasp a part of the abdomen of the female moth that is inserted into the storage section. This inner diameter can be about the same as the diameter of the opening of the female moth's puparium in nature. Usually, it is sufficient if it is the same as the abdomen width of the female moth to be stored. "Abdomen width of the female moth" is the width in a cross section that includes the minor axis that is perpendicular to the major axis of the abdomen of the female moth. However,
The abdominal width of a female moth is not constant because it expands and contracts during mating and egg-laying to perform peristaltic movements. Therefore, the inner diameter of the insertion hole should be the average abdominal width of the female moth. "Average abdominal width of the female moth" refers to the average abdominal width calculated from the abdominal width of the female moth when expanded and the abdominal width when contracted. Since it is sufficient for the female moth abdomen to fit into the insertion hole, this average abdominal width does not need to be an exact value and can be an approximate value.
The average abdominal width of the female moth is preferably that just before being placed in the bagworm egg collector. The average abdominal width of the female moth varies depending on the type and individual bagworm moth, so it may be determined appropriately according to the female bagworm moth used. For example, but not limited to, for the giant bagworm moth, it is 3.0 mm to 15.0 mm, and 4.0 mm to 12.0 mm.
, or 5.0mm to 9.0mm, and for Chaminoga, 2.0mm to 13.0mm, 2.5mm to 12.5mm, or
Therefore, the inner diameter of the insertion hole of the bagworm egg collector of the present invention is within the range of approximately 9.0 mm ± 4.0 mm, 9.0 mm ± 3.0 mm, or 9.0 mm ± 2.0 mm when using the giant bagworm moth, and approximately 7.5 mm ± 5.5 mm, 7.5 mm ± 4.0 mm, 7.5 mm ± 3.0 mm, or 7.5 mm ± 3.0 mm when using the brown bagworm moth.
It is sufficient to make sure that it is within the range of 0.0mm or 7.5mm ± 2.0mm.

The shape of the insertion hole is not limited, but considering that the cross section of the abdomen of the female moth of the present invention is approximately circular or approximately elliptical, it is preferable that the shape of the insertion hole that fits into it is also approximately circular or approximately elliptical.

1-3-3. Storage section The "storage section" (0203) is a section capable of storing the abdomen of a female moth inserted through the insertion hole (0202). The storage section is an essential component of the bagworm moth egg collector (0201) and has an internal space for storing a female moth. In a bagworm moth egg collector with an artificial puparium, this internal space simulates the space inside the puparium where the female moth hides after emerging. In a bagworm moth egg collector, the storage section includes an opening as the insertion hole and is connected to the egg-keeping section (0204) described below.

In this specification, "to accommodate" means to place all or part of the female abdomen of a bagworm moth in the internal space.

The shape of the container is not particularly limited. As mentioned above, in the case of an artificial puparium, a cylindrical shape is preferable, considering that the inside of the puparium is to be simulated. The inner diameter of the container is not limited either, but
It is preferable that the width be equal to or less than the maximum abdominal width of the female moth to be housed.

The internal space of the storage section preferably has a shape and size that allows at least the abdomen of the stored female moth to move peristally.

On the other hand, the length of the long axis of the storage section only needs to be longer than the female moth abdomen to be stored. For example, if 3/4 of the female moth abdomen is to be stored in the storage section, the length should be longer than that. Also, if the entire female moth abdomen is to be stored, the length should be longer than the entire length of the abdomen. Therefore, the length of the long axis of the storage section varies depending on the type of bagworm moth, and can be determined by taking into account the overall length of the female moth abdomen of the species to be stored. For example, the overall length of the female moth abdomen of the giant bagworm moth is 10.0mm to 30.0mm, 12.0mm to 26.0mm, 14.0mm to 26.0mm, and 14.0mm to 26.0mm.
mm to 24.0, 16.0mm to 22.0mm, and for Chaminoga it is 5.0mm to 26.0mm, 14.0mm
~24.0, 16.0mm ~ 22.0.

1-3-4. Egg-holding section The "egg-holding section" (0204) is the section that holds the eggs after spawning.
It is an essential component of the container (0201) and is connected to and integrated with the container (0203). However, the two may be separable, or may be made of a different material from the container.

The egg-holding section is provided below the storage section, i.e., at the bottom of the bagworm egg-collection device, and holds and stores the laid eggs at least until the female moths finish laying eggs or until the eggs hatch.

The size of the egg-holding section is not particularly limited as long as it has an internal space large enough to hold eggs. The length of the internal space may be, for example, 2 mm or more, 3 mm or more, 5 mm or more, 10 mm or more, 15 mm or more, or 30 mm or more.
It is sufficient that the egg-holding section has a size of 1.5 mm or less, 25 mm or less, or 20 mm or less. Therefore, the length of the egg-holding section is sufficient as long as it is equal to or greater than the length of the internal space.

When the storage section and egg-holding section are integrated, when a female moth is stored in the storage section, an excess space of several millimeters or more is usually created between the tail end of the female moth and the bottom of the egg collector. This excess space may be used as the internal space of the egg-holding section.

The shape of the egg-holding part is not particularly limited as long as it can hold eggs. For example, it may be a cone shape, a pyramid shape,
Any vessel having a round bottom may be used.

The egg-holding unit may optionally include an egg-receiving means. The "egg-receiving means" is a means for storing eggs after spawning in the egg-holding unit and for collecting eggs from the bagworm egg collector. It is arranged inside the egg-holding unit and is configured to be detachable from the egg-holding unit.

The shape of the egg-receiving means is not limited. It may be in the form of a bag that conforms to the internal shape of the egg-holding section or the inside of the bagworm egg-collection device, or it may be in the form of a sheet that is pushed into the egg-holding section, or a combination of these. For example, a sheet-shaped egg-receiving means is convenient because it can be easily used to collect egg masses inside the egg-holding section by simply pulling it out from the top of the egg-holding section or the top of the bagworm egg-collection device and unfolding it.

The shape of the egg-receiving means is not particularly limited, but it may be a thin film, cloth, nonwoven fabric, net, or a combination thereof so as to maintain the space inside the egg-holding section. In the case of a thin film, it may have one or more holes.

The material of the egg-receiving means is not limited, and examples include synthetic resins (plastic, synthetic rubber), natural resins (natural rubber), cellulose (paper, plant fibers), animal fibers (hair, silk, leather, collagen, gelatin), glass (glass fiber), and carbon fiber.
Furthermore, a transparent or translucent material is preferred, which allows the presence or absence of eggs and the state inside the egg-holding area to be confirmed.
Food wrap films are particularly suitable due to their excellent transparency. Known materials for food wrap films include, but are not limited to, polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE), and polymethylpentene (PMP).

A specific example of the structure of the egg-receiving section is shown in Figure 6. Figures A and B show a Psilocybe moth egg collector (0601) in which egg-receiving means (0602) made of thin film are arranged throughout the entire interior, including the egg-holding section. As shown in B and C, a female Psilocybe moth (0603) is inserted into this Psilocybe moth egg collector and mated with a male, after which the female is allowed to lay eggs in the egg-holding section. To collect the resulting egg mass (0604), the female is removed after egg-laying, and then the egg-receiving section (0602) is lifted upward as shown in D and separated from the Psilocybe moth egg collector (0601). After separation, the egg mass (0604) can be easily collected by unfolding the sheet-like egg-receiving section (0602) as shown in E.

The egg-holding section may optionally include a ventilation means (0207). A "ventilation means" refers to an opening installed to ensure ventilation within the internal space of the egg-holding section. The ventilation means is composed of one or more holes and/or slits that open to the outside. In the case of holes, their size is not limited, but for the purpose of holding eggs, their maximum width is preferably smaller than the diameter of the eggs. In the case of slits, their length and width are not limited, but, like holes, their maximum width is preferably smaller than the diameter of the eggs. When holes or slits with a maximum width larger than the diameter of the eggs are provided, it is desirable to cover the holes or slits with a breathable material, such as a filter, mesh, or sponge, to prevent eggs from falling or first-instar bagworms from escaping after hatching. Furthermore, the egg-holding section itself may be made of a breathable material.

By providing ventilation means, it is possible to prevent temperature rises and excessive humidity in the egg storage area, thereby preventing events that have an undesirable effect on the egg development stage, such as egg spoilage and mold growth due to humidity.

1-3-5. Lid The "lid" (0205) is an optional component of the bagworm egg collector (0201) and is a part that closes the insertion hole (0202). A lid that closes the insertion hole is not necessarily required. However, providing a lid can prevent excessive drying of the eggs in the egg-holding section and escape of newly hatched first-instar bagworms due to the removal of female moths after egg-laying and the opening of the insertion hole.

The shape, size, and material of the lid are not particularly limited as long as it can close the insertion hole. For example, it may have a width equal to or greater than the diameter of the insertion hole and a length equal to or less than the length of the storage section. The material may be a non-breathable material such as natural rubber or synthetic resin, but a breathable material is preferred. For example,
Porous materials (sponges), filters, plant materials (paper, etc.), balls of yarn (cotton balls, hemp balls, wool balls,
The structure for closing the insertion hole is not limited either. It may be a push-in type such as a cork stopper or rubber stopper, or a screw-in type such as a screw cap.
The lid may be an integrated type with the P. japonica egg collection device, or may be a detachable separate type.

The "egg collection stand" (0206) is an optional component of the Psilocybe moth egg collection device (0201), and is a stand on which the Psilocybe moth egg collection device is placed and fixed so that the insertion hole (0202) of the Psilocybe moth egg collection device faces upward.

Here, "above" means that the insertion hole of the Psilocybe egg collector is greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees with respect to the horizontal plane, and preferably the insertion hole is at 45 to 90 degrees, 60 to 90 degrees, 70 to 90 degrees, 80 to 90 degrees, or 90 to 100 degrees with respect to the horizontal plane.
This means that the angle is between 80 and 90 degrees, or between 85 and 90 degrees. 80 to 90 degrees is more preferable.

In nature, the puparium of a bagworm moth opens downward. Because the bottom of the puparium is located above the opening, the egg mass laid in the puparium can fall through the opening if left as is. Therefore, after laying the eggs, the female moth covers the surface of the eggs with her own scales to prevent them from falling, and then closes the opening of the puparium with her own body, protecting the eggs. She then dies just before they hatch and falls from the nest. The hatched first-instar larvae escape to the outside world through the open opening of the puparium and the lower opening of the nest.

On the other hand, the bagworm egg collector of the present invention allows the orientation of the insertion hole to be freely set. In other words, by installing the egg collection table so that the egg-holding section, which corresponds to the bottom of the puparium, faces upward, there is a great advantage in that the surface is not covered with female moth scales and egg masses do not fall out of the insertion hole even when there is no female moth present.

The egg collection stand may be integrated with the Psychia spp. egg collection device or may be a detachable separate type. Examples of separate types include a rack, stand, or case that can hold one or more Psychia spp. egg collection devices in an upright or tilted position.

2. Psilocybe pycnogaster mating method 2-1. Overview The second aspect of the present invention is a method for mating Psilocybe pycnogaster. The method of the present invention artificially establishes mating of Psilocybe pycnogaster using the Psilocybe pycnogaster egg collection device described in the first aspect. The method of the present invention solves the problems associated with conventional artificial mating methods for Psilocybe pycnogaster, and enables Psilocybe pycnogaster mating to be established easily and efficiently.

2-2. Method The mating method for P. japonica moths of the present invention includes a mating step and a mating step as essential steps. Each step will be explained below.

The "fitting step" is a step of inserting a female Psilocybe moth through the insertion hole of the Psilocybe moth egg collector described in the first embodiment. This causes the female moth abdomen to fit into the insertion hole (Figure 3A).

The female moths used in the method of this embodiment are individuals before egg laying. Preferably, they are virgin individuals. There are no limitations on the type of Psychia moth, but wingless and legless species in which the female moths have a maggot-like morphology are preferred.

In this step, naked female moths separated from the nest and puparium are used. The method for separating the female moths from the nest and puparium is not particularly limited. For example, the nest in which the female moth is hiding is cut open with scissors or the like so as not to injure the female moth, and the opening of the puparium is broken open and then the female moth is extracted using tweezers or the like. Alternatively, the pupa may be removed from the nest during the pupal stage, and then the female moth may be allowed to emerge, and after the female moth has emerged and opened a hole in the puparium, the female moth may be removed using the above method.

The naked female moth is inserted through the insertion hole of the bagworm egg collector and pushed in until the abdomen fits into the insertion hole.

2-2-2. Mating process The "mating process" is a process in which the abdominal end of a male moth is artificially inserted into the bagworm moth egg collector after the mating process to induce mating between male and female bagworm moths. This process results in mating of the bagworm moths.

In this method, the male moths used are of the same species as the female moths used in the mating step. Male moths can be either virgin or mated. Because male moths can mate with female moths multiple times, male moths used once for artificial mating can also be used again for artificial mating with another female moth.

After the mating step, the male moth is mated with the bagworm egg collector, and the end of the male moth's abdomen is inserted between the fixed female moth abdomen and the insertion hole. There are no limitations on the method of insertion. For example, the male moth can be held by hand and the end of its abdomen inserted between the female moth abdomen and the insertion hole (Figure 3B). The male moth with its abdomen inserted is
The male then extends its abdomen to find the female moth's copulatory hole, and mating is achieved (Figure 3C). If the male moth is unable to successfully find the female moth's copulatory hole, it can be guided to make mating easier by fine-tuning the male moth's orientation and insertion position by hand. In this case, it is convenient if the bagworm moth egg collector is made of a transparent or translucent material, as this makes it easier to visually check the inside.

2-3. Effects The mating method for bagworm moths of the present invention, unlike conventional methods, allows the state of the female moth to be monitored. Furthermore, by using an egg collector made of a transparent material, it is possible not only to accurately guide the male moth's copulatory organ into the female moth's copulatory hole, but also to visually confirm the establishment and termination of mating, thereby dramatically improving mating efficiency.

3. Method for collecting Psilocybe spp. eggs 3-1. Overview The third aspect of the present invention is a method for collecting Psilocybe spp. eggs. The method of the present invention is a method for obtaining a large amount of eggs from Psilocybe spp. eggs by using the Psilocybe spp. egg collector described in the first aspect. According to the method of the present invention, a large amount of Psilocybe spp. eggs can be obtained easily and stably.

3-2. Method The method for collecting P. japonica moth eggs of the present invention includes the mating process, the mating process, and the egg-laying process as essential processes, and also includes the male moth removal process and the female moth removal process as optional processes. Of these, the mating process and the mating process are the same as the mating process and the mating process in the P. japonica moth mating method of the second embodiment. In other words, the P. japonica moth egg collection method of this embodiment is a method that follows the P. japonica moth mating method of the second embodiment. Therefore, here, we will omit an explanation of the processes described in detail in the second embodiment, and will explain the egg-laying process and the male moth removal process that are characteristic of this embodiment below.

3-2-1. Male moth removal process The "male moth removal process" is a process of removing male individuals after the mating process. This is a selective process in the method for collecting eggs of the bagworm, and is carried out as necessary prior to the next egg-laying process.

Usually, after the mating process, the male moth spontaneously releases mating, returns its extended abdomen to its original position, and separates from the female moth. Therefore, after the mating process, the male moth can be left as is until the next egg-laying process. Alternatively, the male moth can be artificially separated and removed during this process. In this case, after confirming that the male moth's copulatory organ and the female moth's copulatory hole have separated and mating has been released, the male moth is forcibly removed before it spontaneously separates. To remove the male moth, carefully pull out the male moth's abdomen without removing the female moth from the bagworm egg collector, and then peel it off the bagworm egg collector. The separated male moth can be reused in the mating process of another female moth, as described above.

3-2-2. Egg-laying process The "egg-laying process" is a process in which eggs are laid in the egg-holding section of the egg-collection device after the mating process. It is an essential process in the method for collecting eggs from bagworm moths, and is carried out after the mating process or after the subsequent selective male moth removal process. The temperature and humidity conditions from mating to the start of egg-laying and during egg-laying are not particularly strict, and are not particularly limited as long as they are within the temperature range in which bagworm moths are active. Preferably, the temperature is 20 to 25°C, and the humidity is
A range of 45 to 70% is sufficient.

If the female moths are left alone without any special treatment after mating, they will start laying eggs within 24 hours after mating, and the eggs they lay will be kept in the egg-holding area as an egg mass.
By collecting these egg masses, it is possible to easily obtain a large amount of bagworm eggs, which have previously been difficult to obtain efficiently and stably.

Furthermore, since the eggs can be collected in their egg form, the process of washing the eggs, which was previously difficult, becomes easier.
This treatment allows for sterilization and disinfection, making it possible to prevent vertical infection from the female parent moth and horizontal infection through contact between eggs, even if the female parent moth is infected with bacteria or viruses.

Furthermore, if the material of the bagworm egg collector is transparent or translucent, it will be possible to accurately grasp the amount of eggs laid in units of number. The eggs that have been laid can also be stored in the egg storage unit without being collected.

3-2-3. Female moth removal process The "female moth removal process" is a process for removing female moths remaining in the bagworm egg collector after the egg-laying process. This is an optional process in the bagworm egg collection method, and can be carried out after the egg-laying process as needed.

After laying eggs, the female moth uses her scales to cover and harden the surface of the eggs to prevent them from falling. Furthermore, until just before hatching, the female moth itself acts as a lid over the opening of the puparium, keeping the egg mass inside the puparium and preventing it from falling out of the opening. The female moth used in the Bagworm egg collector of the present invention also acts as a lid to close the insertion hole after laying eggs, but because egg masses do not fall out of the insertion hole in the Bagworm egg collector, there is no need for the female moth to act as a lid.

Therefore, in this process, the bodies of female moths that are no longer needed after egg laying are removed from the bagworm egg collector.
There are no limitations on the removal method. For example, the female moths can be picked out of the bagworm egg collector using tweezers, etc. After the female moths have been removed, a lid can be placed on the insertion hole as needed.

3-3. Effects According to the method for collecting eggs from the bagworm moth of the present invention, it is possible to efficiently induce female moths to lay eggs after mating,
Furthermore, compared to conventional methods, it is extremely easy to confirm egg laying and collect eggs.

4. Method for Preparing First-Instar Bagworms 4-1. Overview The fourth aspect of the present invention is a method for preparing first-instar bagworms. According to the method of the present invention, bagworms, which have previously been available in bulk quantities other than through wild collection, can be easily and stably obtained in large quantities as first-instar bagworms. This makes it possible to mass-breed bagworms for successive generations.

4-2. Method The method of this embodiment is carried out by either (1) a method using a Psilocybe moth egg collector, or (2) a method of collecting eggs from a Psilocybe moth egg collector.

(1) Method using a bagworm egg collector This method involves using the bagworm egg collector of the first embodiment to manage bagworm eggs obtained by the bagworm egg collection method of the third embodiment in the egg storage section of the bagworm egg collector until they hatch, and then recovering the hatched bagworms at their first instar stage.
This method includes the essential steps of keeping the bagworm warm and recovering the first-instar bagworms.

(1-1) Incubation process The "incubation process" is a process of keeping the eggs of the bagworm warm. The incubation temperature is set to maintain the development of the eggs.
There is no particular limitation as long as the temperature promotes the development of the eggs. Usually, the eggs of the silkworm can develop within a range of 15°C to 35°C. Therefore, the temperature should be within this range. For example, 18°C to 32°C,
The temperature should be in the range of 20℃ to 30℃.

The eggs to be kept warm in this step are the egg masses obtained by the method for collecting Psilocyst moth eggs of the third embodiment, and are kept warm in the egg holding section of the Psilocyst moth egg collector used for egg collection. The warming can be carried out by keeping the temperature in the room or in the incubator in which the Psilocyst moth egg collector is installed at the predetermined temperature.

The incubation period is not limited, but is usually the period from spawning to hatching. The period from spawning to hatching may vary depending on the species of Psilocybe moth and the hatching conditions. For example, without limitation, when incubated at the above-mentioned predetermined temperature, it will take about 14 to 30 days for the giant Psilocybe moth, for example, 17 days.
For the Japanese cricket, it is between 11 and 30 days, for example, between 14 and 27 days.

By using a transparent or translucent material for the bagworm egg collector, it is possible to visually track the condition of the eggs in the egg storage area from the time of egg laying until they hatch, and to quickly detect and respond to any mold growth, egg rot, drying, etc. Furthermore, bagworm hatching occurs in several stages over the course of several days, but by being able to visualize the process leading up to hatching, it is possible to accurately determine the start and end times of hatching, and the rearing environment after hatching can be prepared in advance accordingly.

(1-2) First-instar bagworm recovery process The "first-instar bagworm recovery process" is a process in which first-instar bagworms that have hatched in the egg-holding area are recovered from the egg-holding area after the incubation process. There are no particular restrictions on the recovery method, but techniques for recovering first-instar silkworms used in the sericulture industry can be applied. For example, the first-instar bagworms in the egg-holding area can be swept up using a feather broom or brush and then moved to a location where the bagworms will be raised. After being moved, the first-instar bagworms immediately begin building nests using nesting material. This makes it possible to obtain large quantities of first-instar bagworms, which was difficult with conventional technology.

(2) Method for collecting eggs from a bagworm egg collector This method involves using the bagworm egg collector of the first embodiment to collect bagworm eggs obtained by the bagworm egg collection method of the third embodiment from the egg storage section of the bagworm egg collector, managing them externally until they hatch, and collecting the hatched bagworms at first instar. This method includes the egg collection process and the incubation process as essential processes, and the first instar bagworm collection process as an optional process.

(2-1) Egg Collection Step The "egg collection step" is a step of collecting eggs obtained by the third embodiment of the Bagworm egg collection method from the egg-holding section. In this step, the eggs after the egg-laying step are removed and collected from the insertion hole or from another opening of the Bagworm egg collection device. The method of collection from the egg-holding section is not limited. For example, a sweeping method may be applied, or the eggs may be scooped up together with the egg mass using a small spatula such as an ear pick. Alternatively, the eggs may be collected by washing them out of the egg-holding section with water or a buffer.

(2-2) Incubation Step The "incubation step" is a step of incubating the eggs of the silkworm moth. The incubation step is essentially similar to the method described in the incubation step (1-1) above, but differs from the incubation step (1-1) above in that the eggs are not incubated in the egg-holding section but outside the silkworm moth egg collector. The method of incubating the eggs outside the silkworm moth egg collector is not particularly limited, but it is desirable to incubate them in a place where appropriate humidity is maintained to prevent excessive humidity or dryness. For example, there is a method in which the collected eggs are transferred together with the egg mass onto paper such as silkworm egg-laying paper, and the paper base is moistened to prevent drying and is then incubated at the incubation temperature.

(2-3) First-instar bagworm recovery process The first-instar bagworms after hatching can be recovered in accordance with the method described in the first-instar bagworm recovery process in (1-2) above. For example, they can be swept up with a feather broom or the like and transferred to a place where the bagworms will roost.

In this embodiment, the Psychia parvata eggs collected in the egg collection step can be placed in a rearing container, for example, so that first-instar larvae that hatch after the incubation step do not need to be collected, and can be obtained in large quantities in the rearing container. Therefore, this step is a selection step and may be carried out as needed.

Example 1: Artificial mating of Psilocybe moths using a Psilocybe moth egg collector
(the purpose)
Artificial mating of Psyche moths is carried out using the Psyche moth egg collection device of the present invention.
(Method and Results)
The final stage larvae of the field-collected giant silkworm moth were allowed to emerge in a natural environment, and the resulting male and female moths were used.

For the Psychia mosquito egg collector of the present invention, a 1.5 mL tube (Eppendorf) with the cap cut off was used. The inner diameter of the insertion hole was 9.7 mm, and the length of the integrated storage section and egg-holding section (
The length of the major axis of the egg collector is 30 mm.

The female moth was removed from the nest and puparium using scissors and tweezers, and the end of its abdomen was inserted through the insertion hole of the Psychia spp. egg collector and fixed to the Psychia spp. egg collector (Fig. 3A).

Next, the end of the abdomen of the male moth was manually inserted between the abdomen of the female moth and the insertion hole (Figure 3
B).

When the male moth's abdomen was inserted between the insertion hole and the female moth's abdomen, the male moth spontaneously extended its abdomen toward the female moth's copulatory hole, and the female moth, housed in the container, also began peristaltic movements of its abdomen, guiding the end of the male moth's abdomen toward its own copulatory hole, resulting in mating within the container. Because the 1.5 mL tube was made of translucent polypropylene, mating within the container could be visually confirmed from the outside (Figure 3C).

Furthermore, in nature, the opening of the puparium faces downward, as shown in Figures 1B and 1C, so male moths always mate upside down. However, the results of this example, shown in Figure 3C, revealed that male moths can achieve mating even when in a position that is upside down compared to their natural state. This makes it possible to keep the insertion hole of the bagworm egg collector facing upward, dramatically simplifying operation and management during and after mating.

Example 2: Collection of Psilocybe eggs using a Psilocybe egg collector
(the purpose)
The Psyche moth egg collector of the present invention is used to collect Psyche moth eggs.

(Method and Results)
After mating male and female Psilocybe spp. moths in a Psilocybe moth egg collector using the method of Example 1, the male moths were manually removed from the egg collector. With the female moths remaining in the egg collector, the Psilocybe moth egg collector was incubated and left at 24°C with the insertion hole facing upward. Approximately half a day after mating, the female moths began laying eggs in the egg-holding area, and about 2,000 eggs were obtained about another half day later. Figure 4 shows the situation approximately three hours after egg-laying began.

Example 3: Mass production of first-instar bagworms
(the purpose)
A large amount of first-instar bagworms are prepared from bagworm eggs collected using the bagworm egg collector of the present invention.

(Method and Results)
The eggs obtained in Example 2 were stored in the egg mass state as shown in FIG. 5A at 24° C. for 21 minutes in an egg holding section.
This method allowed for the hatching of large numbers of the desired first-instar bagworms with a high hatching rate of over 90% (Fig. 5B).

<Example 4: Psilocybe egg collection device equipped with egg receiving means>
(the purpose)
We will verify the effects of the egg-receiving means of the Psilocybe spp. egg-collection device of the present invention on egg-laying and hatching.

(method)
The Psilocyst egg collector of the present invention was a 1.5 mL tube (
A transparent thin film (food packaging wrap film: Polywrap, Ube Film Co., Ltd.: polyethylene) cut into an 80 mm x 80 mm square was pushed into the tube along the inner wall of the tube to serve as an egg receiving means. The actual state is shown in Figure 6A.
As a control, a tube without an egg receiving means was used.

As in Example 1, female moths were inserted and allowed to mate with male moths, and then the presence or absence of egg laying, visibility of the eggs in the egg-holding area from the outside, difficulty of egg recovery, number of fertilized eggs, number of successful hatching, and success rate of hatching were evaluated and calculated.

(result)
The results are shown in Table 1.

Eggs in which bagworm embryonic development was confirmed were considered fertilized.
The hatching success rate was calculated as the ratio of the number of successfully hatched eggs to the number of fertilized eggs.

From Table 1, it is clear that a bagworm egg collection device with an egg-receiving means does not affect egg-laying. It is also clear that if the egg-receiving means is made of a transparent material, it is possible to check the presence and condition of egg masses inside the egg-holding section from the outside, as long as the egg-holding section is also made of a transparent material. Furthermore, when it comes to collecting eggs, if it has an egg-receiving means, egg masses can be easily collected by simply pulling out the egg-receiving means from the bagworm egg collection device and spreading it out as shown in Figure 6E. On the other hand, if there is no egg-receiving means,
It was difficult because it required operations such as turning over the bagworm egg collector and scraping out the egg masses from the insertion hole. Furthermore, although the number of fertilizations and successful hatchings, as well as the hatching success rate calculated from these, were slightly lower than when there was no egg-receiving means, it was also revealed that the egg-receiving means had almost no effect on mating or the eggs after spawning.

From the above results, when collecting eggs using the Psilocybean moth egg collector of the present invention, when collecting egg masses from the Psilocybean moth egg collector after spawning, it is efficient to use a Psilocybean moth egg collector equipped with an egg receiving means.

Claims (14)

A bagworm egg collector consisting of a tubular container,
an insertion hole having an inner diameter into which a female adult Psilocybe moth fits;
The egg collector has a storage section capable of storing the abdomen of the female adult, and an egg-holding section for holding the eggs after they have been laid. The egg collection device according to claim 1, wherein the egg storage section has a ventilation means. 3. The egg collection device according to claim 1, wherein the egg holding section has a detachable egg receiving means therein for storing and collecting eggs after spawning. The egg collection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which has a lid that closes the insertion hole. The tubular container is made entirely or partly of a transparent or translucent material.
5. An egg collection device according to any one of claims 4 to 4. 4. The egg collection device according to claim 3, wherein the egg receiving means is made of a thin film made of a transparent or light-transmitting material. The egg collection device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising an egg collection table on which the egg collection device is placed so that the insertion hole faces upward. A method for breeding bagworm moths, comprising:
The mating method includes a mating step of inserting a female adult Psilocybe moth into an insertion hole of a Psilocybe moth egg collector described in any one of claims 1 to 7 from the end of its abdomen and fitting its abdomen into the insertion hole, and a mating step of inserting the end of the abdomen of a male adult Psilocybe moth between the insertion hole and the abdomen of the female adult Psilocybe moth to allow mating. The mating method described in claim 8, wherein the female adult individuals of the bagworm moth are a wingless, legless morphotype. The mating method described in claim 8 or 9, wherein the female adult individuals are virgin individuals. A method for collecting eggs of a bagworm, comprising:
A fitting step of inserting a female adult Psilocybe moth separated from the nest and puparium into an insertion hole of the Psilocybe moth egg collector according to any one of claims 1 to 7 from the end of the abdomen and fitting the abdomen into the insertion hole;
The egg collection method includes a mating step of inserting the abdominal end of a male adult bagworm moth between the insertion hole and the abdomen of the female adult moth to allow mating, and an egg-laying step of causing eggs to be laid in the egg-holding section of the egg collection device. The egg collection method according to claim 11, further comprising a female removal step of removing female individuals after the egg-laying step. A method for preparing first instar bagworms, comprising:
The preparation method includes an incubation step of incubating the bagworm eggs obtained by the bagworm egg collection method described in claim 11 or 12 in the egg storage section, and an early-stage bagworm recovery step of recovering the hatched early-stage bagworms. A method for preparing first instar bagworms, comprising:
The preparation method includes an egg collection step of collecting the Psilocybe eggs obtained by the method for collecting Psilocybe eggs according to claim 11 or 12 from the egg storage unit, and an incubation step of keeping the collected eggs warm.