In Neubrandenburg: Katja breeds butterflies and ladybugs in the apartment!

In Neubrandenburg: Katja breeds butterflies and ladybugs in the apartment!

in the former capital of the GDR, Neubrandenburg, Katja Voigt has developed an unusual passion: breeding of insects. Not only colorful thistle butters grow in their cozy apartment, but also lively ladybugs. The path to the dazzling butterfly begins with small caterpillars that Katja regularly receives in a post package from the specialist dealer, with the note: "Living animals, please open as soon as possible!" nordkurier.de reports about how Katja and her mother Gisela observe the impressive development of these little living things.

Gisela Voigt often sits in front of the butterfly network and observes how the caterpillars pupate. After 3 to 5 weeks, the butterflies hatch, which Katja then feeds with glucose solution and fresh fruit. The ladybug larvae are also raised in the apartment and released into the garden after about three weeks, where they destroy undesirable aphids and spider mites as natural pest control. This creative form of insect breeding could also be of interest to other curious people - there are numerous breeding sets that are equipped with guidelines for rearing and maintaining insects.

insect breeding as a contribution to the ecosystem

But why why insects? Insects are among the most species -rich living things on our planet. It is estimated that there are about 6 million different types of insects, while the number of mammals, including humans, is only a few hundred smartbugs.de informs. Over 200 to 2000 kilograms of insects come to each individual - this shows how strong insects are anchored in our ecological systems.

insects play an essential role in nature by contributing to pollinating plants, combating harmful organisms, accelerating decomposition processes and serving as the basis of the food chain for many animals. The use of these little creatures could not only relieve the environment, but also solve the food problem in a sustainable manner. The market for breeding insects is growing rapidly and it is expected that the investments in this sector will increase to over 1.53 billion USD by 2025 AGTECHER.com that insect breeding has great future potential.

from home to industry: opportunities and challenges

The cultivation of insects brings with it many advantages. Only two kilograms of feed are required to produce one kilogram of insect mass, while cattle need eight kilograms. In addition, insects enable more efficient feed recycling and lower water and land consumption. For this reason, the sustainable use of insects is increasingly being considered - not only in the animal feed industry, but also in food production and other sectors.

Although insect breeding offers many opportunities, challenges must also be overcome. Investors could hesitate high capital costs and still undestected technologies. Nevertheless, innovative companies such as Freezem and Entocycle show that automation and data analysis can help with increasing efficiency and thus make a positive contribution to the spread of insects as a food and raw material source With her breeding in Neubrandenburg, Katja Voigt sets a small but fine accent in a larger movement that explores the potential of insectousness and resources for our environment and nutrition. Who knows, maybe there will soon be more "insect breeders" in the region that will follow the good example.