Harvesting and incubating systems for cultivation of insects

Abstract

A system for harvesting insects from a habitat. The system configured to separate waste, live insects, and dead insects in a manner that the live insects may undergo a first processing procedure and the dead insects may undergo a second processing procedures. For example, the first processing procedure may include processing the insects for human consumption and the second processing procedure may include processing the dead insects for minerals or materials.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for separating live insects from waste comprising:
 a central area for receiving contents of a habit, the central area having a first surface with a first coefficient of friction;   an low friction area positioned around an edge portion of the central area, the low friction area having a second coefficient of friction that is less than the first coefficient of friction; and   a collection area or bin configured to receive the live insects that slide off of the low friction area.   
     
     
         2 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the central area has a middle portion that slopes upward to the edge portion. 
     
     
         3 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the low friction area has a first edge adjacent to the central area and a second edge opposite the first edge; and   the low friction area slopes downward form the first edge to the second edge.   
     
     
         4 . The system as recited in  claim 3 , wherein a grade of a slope of the low friction area increases from the first edge to the second edge. 
     
     
         5 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising an environmental stimulus device to apply an environmental stimulus to the live insects to encourage the live insects to migrate over the low friction area. 
     
     
         6 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the central area includes a cone shaped portion and a concave portion. 
     
     
         7 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the central area is formed of a mesh or screen. 
     
     
         8 . A system for harvesting insects comprising:
 a basin area for receiving contents of a habitat, the contents including live insects and waste; and   an inner section within the basin area; and   a gap between an outer edge of the inner section and a wall of the basin area.   
     
     
         9 . The system as recited in  claim 8 , further comprising a tube for receiving the contents of the habitat and depositing the contents into the basin area 
     
     
         10 . The system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the inner section is corrugated. 
     
     
         11 . The system as recited in  claim 8 , further comprising a powdering device within the basin area. 
     
     
         12 . The system as recited in  claim 8 , further comprising a screen positioned below the inner section within the basin area. 
     
     
         13 . A system comprising:
 a first area for receiving contents of a habit, the first area having a first surface with a first coefficient of friction to allow live insects to move upon the first surface; and   a second area having a first edge and a second edge, the first edge positioned adjacent to an outer edge of the first area, the second area having a slope from the first edge to the second edge, and the second area having a second coefficient of friction that causes the live insects to slide from the first edge off of the second edge.   
     
     
         14 . The system as recited in  claim 13 , further comprising a collection area or bin configured to receive the live insects that slide off of the second edge of the second area. 
     
     
         15 . The system as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the first area is concave. 
     
     
         16 . The system as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the first coefficient of friction is greater than the second coefficient of friction. 
     
     
         17 . The system as recited in  claim 13 , wherein a grade of the slope of the second area increases from the first edge to the second edge. 
     
     
         18 . The system as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the second area is convex. 
     
     
         19 . The system as recited in  claim 13 , further comprising an environmental stimulus device to apply light to the first area to encourage the live insects to migrate over the second area. 
     
     
         20 . The system as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the first area includes a cone shaped portion surrounded by a concave portion.