In Neubrandenburg: Katja breeds butterflies and ladybugs at home!

In Neubrandenburg züchtet Katja Voigt mit ihrer Mutter Insekten wie Distelfalter und Marienkäfer für ökologische Projekte.
In Neubrandenburg, Katja Voigt and her mother breed insects such as thistle butterfly and ladybugs for ecological projects. (Symbolbild/MND)

In Neubrandenburg: Katja breeds butterflies and ladybugs at home!

In Neubrandenburg, insect life blooms in a very special setting. Katja Voigt has set himself the task of setting up a breeding for different types of insects in her apartment. Her passion for thistle butterfly and ladybug is particularly enthusiastic. The first stage of this colorful journey begins with the arrival of caterpillars and larvae that are delivered in a post package. "When the postman arrives, it will always be exciting!", Katja is happy when the little living things in the cups find their place and grow. After three to five weeks, the first thistle butchers finally hatch.

This little insect farm was not only accompanied by Katja, but also by her mother Gisela Voigt with a lot of love. "The caterpillars are clumsy at first, but they really develop into pretty creatures," she reports. In this hustle and bustle, the cat Lilly is also interested in the butterflies who soon populate the butterfly network. The Marienkäfer larvae have also found a home in Katja's apartment and will be used to use aphids and spider mites within a short time.

insect breeding in the small frame

The breeding of insects is a topic that finds more and more followers. "Insects are not only pests, they can also do a lot of good things," explains Katja. The idea of ​​offering breeding sets for different types of insects is valued by more and more people. These sets are intended not only for hobby breeders, but also for children, kindergartens and schools and offer valuable guidelines for rearing and care.

The numbers speak for themselves: There are around 10 million species on earth, of which around 6 million in the class of insects belong. These small living things have an important role in various ecological processes. They accelerate the decomposition, pollinating plants, react sensitively to environmental changes and are even at the beginning of many food chains. These properties reaffirm the goals of initiatives such as smartbugs.de, the insects do not understand as enemies, but as a valuable resource.

sustainability and nutrition

In the future, insect breeding could even play a central role in food production. The 2013 FAO report has initiated development steps in the industry, and more and more companies are interested in this sustainable practice. Insects only need a fraction of feed compared to conventional farm animals and have a lower ecological footprint, which makes it a promising option. More than 2 billion people worldwide are already eating insects - a trend that should continue in the face of the growing interest in sustainable alternatives.

The challenges of insect breeding include high capital costs and the need to develop technologies. Nevertheless, the sector shows promising growth forecasts, with an investment forecast of 1.65 billion USD in the field of insect breeding until 2025, as reported (https://agtecer.com/de/insect-agriculture/). This innovative strength and growing demand could make insect breeding even more popular in the coming years.

The exciting world of insect breeding in Neubrandenburg cleans up with the myth that insects are only pests. Rather, examples like Katja Voigts breed how much benefits are in these small creatures. Breeding, maintaining and observing - the experience with insects could not only be an attractive hobby for many, but also make an important contribution to our environment.

Details
OrtNeubrandenburg, Deutschland
Quellen