Insect Production Services – Products for purchase

Prepared artificial diets for purchase

Order artificial diets

Prepared artificial diets are available for all of the insect species produced by the Insect Production Services. Freshly made diet (maximum five days old) is distributed in individual ¾ oz (22 ml) or 6 oz (177 ml) translucent plastic containers (approximately ¾ full) with breathable cardboard lids. The ¾ oz cup orders include 88 cups per tray and the 6 oz cup orders include 15 cups per tray.

When stored at 4°C, artificial diet will remain useable for two to three weeks from the date of shipment. (Beetle diet remains usable for six weeks.) Containers are resealable and are shipped on disposable cardboard trays. The surface of prepared diets is misted with an anti-fungal solution consisting of sorbic acid, methyl paraben and ethyl alcohol.

Customers may choose to eliminate diet ingredients at the time of ordering, depending on their specific requirements.

Bell diet

  • Suitable for rearing of both whitemarked and rusty tussock moths
  • Has also been used successfully for rearing of Douglas-fir tussock moth and gypsy moth
  • Ingredients: agar, ascorbic acid, casein, choline chloride, linseed oil, methyl paraben, sorbic acid, water, wheat germ, Wesson salt, vitamins
  • Minor recipe modifications can be made when placing order
  • Available in ¾ oz (22 ml) or 6 oz (177 ml) translucent cups (approximately ¾ full) with cardboard lids
  • Price: $13/tray

Long-horned beetle diet

  • Suitable for rearing beetles belonging to the family Cerambycidae or long-horned beetles
  • Extremely high in fibre
  • Shelf life of six weeks
  • Available in ¾ oz (22 ml) or 6 oz (177 ml) translucent cups (approximately ¾ full) with cardboard lids
  • Price: $13/tray

McMorran diet

  • Suitable for rearing of spruce budworm, cabbage looper and fir coneworm
  • Has also been used successfully for rearing of black army cutworm, eastern and western blackheaded budworm, large aspen tortrix, jack pine budworm, oleander hawk-moth, saltmarsh caterpillar and tobacco hornworm
  • Ingredients: agar, Alphacel, ascorbic acid, Aureomycin, casein, formaldehyde, linseed oil, methyl paraben, potassium hydroxide, sugar, vitamins, water, wheat germ, Wesson salt
  • Minor recipe modifications can be made when placing order
  • Available in ¾ oz (22 ml) or 6 oz (177 ml) translucent cups (approximately ¾ full) with cardboard lids
  • Price: $13/tray