Name of technology: Insect Handling Device
Patent No.: 252363
Granted on: 10/05/2012
Technology related to: Crop protection, biological control

Brief Description of Technology including salient features: An insect handling device comprises of a rigid platform provided with one holes in the centre and another beside it and yet another near the margin of the platform. The central hole and the one on the margin are connected with a U shape tube from below and another tube called collecting tube from above the platform. The third hole is connected with a vacuum cleaner. The vacuum cleaner and U shape tube is housed in a ventilated box and the rigid platform makes roof of this box. The central hole is provided on the upper side with four radial ridges. A container in which insects are collected must have a collecting hole in its lid and permeability to air. This container is kept upside down over the central hole. The U shaped tube is protruded a bit which is fixed to the lid-hole of the collecting container. The collecting container is housed in the outer container provided with a hole which in turn is provided with a sliding strip that can cover the said hole. When the vacuum cleaner is switched on, vacuum is created in the outer container which in turn create vacuum inside the inner container. The air gush inside the U shape tube and the collecting tube. Insects are sucked along the air through the collecting tube into the inner container, which could be an insect rearing jar or egg laying chamber.

Utility: The device helps in handling insects in large number very efficiently there by reducing the operational cost in insectaries in general and bio-control insectaries in particular. This device improves the efficiency in commercial production of bio-control agents and reduces operational cost. Since its application is in bio-control insectaries, hence it contributes to the ecologically sound pest management.

This devise is adopted in many laboratories and bio-control insectaries across India
Social Impact: The device also prevents the health hazards to the workers involved in insectaries
Target users/stakeholders: Entomology laboratories and bio-control insectaries
Principal Inventor: Dr. Pradyumn Kumar, Ex-PI Entomology, ICAR-IIMR, Ludhiana
pradyumn.kumar@gmail.com
Co-Inventor: Dr. JC Sekhar, PI Entomology, ICAR-IIMR, Ludhiana
Licence to: Amar Chand & Co., 56, Industrial Estate, Ambala Cantt-133 006.