The development speed of centipedes is relatively slow. In the first year, from hatching to before hibernation, their body length is only about 3.3 to 3.9 cm. In the second year, under sufficient food conditions, their body length is still only about 4.9 to 6.6 cm. Therefore, it generally takes 3 to 4 years for centipedes to develop from hatchlings to sexually mature adults. The growth and development speed has a great relationship with whether there is sufficient food and the length of feeding time. It was found in artificial breeding that centipedes produced in the same year grow and develop faster indoors than in natural farming. Therefore, providing sufficient fresh feed when breeding is one of the important conditions for increasing its yield.
Centipedes belong to crustacean arthropods, with chitin shells covering their bodies, which restricts their further growth and development. To get rid of the restriction of the shell on further growth and development, they have to molt several times during the growth process. Each time they molt, they grow significantly larger. They molt three times during embryonic development, and adults usually molt once a year, while some molt twice.
Molting mostly occurs in midsummer or after egg-laying. Before molting, their body color changes, their movements become slow, they stop eating, and their vision and antenna ability weaken. When molting, it proceeds section by section from front to back, finally shedding the tail legs. The old skin shed is in a shriveled state, and when stretched out, it forms a complete centipede body shell. Molting takes about 2 hours to complete. During molting, disturbances should be avoided, otherwise it will prolong the molting time. In artificial breeding, precautions must be taken to prevent ants from attacking them during molting, otherwise they are easily bitten or injured by ants.
4) Hibernation: Centipedes are ectothermic animals, and the rise and fall of external temperatures greatly affects their lives. The cold winter threatens their lives. To avoid the threat of the cold winter, they burrow into the ground and hibernate. During hibernation, they do not eat or move, and their bodies form an "S" or "L" shape. The depth at which they burrow during hibernation is directly related to the temperature and soil temperature. The lower the temperature and soil temperature, the deeper they burrow; the higher the temperature and soil temperature, the shallower they burrow. Under normal temperature and soil temperature conditions, they usually hibernate at depths of 15-40 cm in the soil; when the temperature and soil temperature are low, they can hibernate at depths of 80-100 cm in the soil. If the soil temperature rises, it can not only delay the start of hibernation but also allow them to hibernate in shallower areas or even on the soil surface. It can be seen that the soil temperature is the key factor affecting the duration of centipede hibernation and the depth at which they remain dormant. Therefore, in breeding, artificially raising the soil temperature at the hibernation site can not only shorten their hibernation time, allowing them to safely overwinter, but also relatively increase the normal activity period of centipedes, which is beneficial for increasing the yield of farmed centipedes. For example, just before centipedes enter hibernation, pits 80-100 cm deep can be dug in the breeding area. The excavated soil can be mixed evenly with collected garbage mud ash at a ratio of 2:1, then poured back into the pit and leveled. Then lay down appropriate amounts of brick and tile fragments, place the centipedes inside, cover with a layer of fine soil, and finally cover with branches and dry grass. This improves the environment for centipedes to overwinter.
Before improving the wintering environmental conditions, the soil temperature was low, with large fluctuations in early morning, noon, and evening temperatures. After improvement, the soil temperature rises significantly. The temperature differences between early morning, noon, and evening are small, and the soil temperature can basically remain stable within the same day, which is beneficial for centipedes to safely overwinter. There are many benefits to improving the wintering environment for centipedes, mainly including: ① Deep turning loosens the soil, increases air circulation in the soil layers, and because the soil surface is covered with fine soil and dry grass, heat under the bricks and tiles does not easily dissipate, enhancing insulation capabilities. Heat in the soil can easily radiate between the gaps in the bricks and tiles, reducing the temperature difference between early morning, noon, and evening. ② Bricks and tiles absorb water, creating a damp environment required by centipedes, and the larger gaps between the bricks and tiles facilitate the entry and exit and resting of centipedes. ③ Mixing garbage mud ash with soil causes the garbage to quickly decompose and release large amounts of heat, raising the soil temperature and keeping it relatively constant, shortening the hibernation time of centipedes. ④ Increases organic matter and microorganisms in the soil, which is beneficial for the reproduction of various small insects, providing centipedes with fresh natural food, achieving the effect of "natural feeding" for centipedes. Therefore, artificially improving the environmental conditions of centipede hibernation sites is an effective method to help them safely overwinter and should be promoted. Additionally, after centipedes emerge from hibernation, the breeding site should be tightly sealed to prevent centipedes from escaping.
Shaanxi Huaren Scorpion Farm mainly breeds scorpions, centipedes, and mealworms as feed, integrating farming, sales, and product recovery into a large-scale farm.
Since 1983, we have been engaged in scorpion farming, and our achievements have been reported in newspapers such as the People's Daily, Shaanxi Daily, Xi'an Evening News, Shaanxi Farmers' Newspaper, Gansu Farmers' Newspaper, Sichuan Chinese Medicine Information Newspaper, Ningxia Science and Technology Newspaper. In 1985, Shaanxi People's Publishing House published the book "Young People's Path to Wealth," which introduced our scorpion farming stories. In 1999, Shaanxi People's Publishing House published the book "Bittersweet Years," which also introduced our scorpion farming stories. Agri-science Satellite TV and Shaanxi News have come to our farm three times to shoot and broadcast our scorpion farming stories.
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Supported by Huazhong Agricultural University: A key university in the national "211 Project" - Huazhong Agricultural University, jointly researched with Wuhan Nongke Huimin Bioengineering Co., Ltd., dedicated to scientific farming and enriching farmers through centipede breeding technology: Huimin No.2 Golden Headed Centipede.
Advanced technical advantages: Wuhan Nongke Huimin Bioengineering Co., Ltd., together with multiple biological experts and professors of bioengineering from Huazhong Agricultural University, through years of observation in breeding, using optimized purification technology methods, utilizing bio-genetic improvement engineering to cultivate a new generation of species - Huimin No.2 Golden Headed Centipede. Through breeding observations, this species is easy to breed, gentle in nature, strong in adaptability, fast-growing, high in reproduction rate, better in medicinal value, and more economically significant, making it an ideal investment breeding project for many breeders.
Complete breeding facilities: The company leverages agricultural science as its advantage, life sciences as its feature, relying on experts and scholars from the Animal Science and Technology College, focusing on modern bioengineering, special animal husbandry, insect resource development as its core, integrating research, breeding, teaching, promotion, technical services, production, sales, import and export trade into a high-tech enterprise. It owns large ecological breeding areas, solar house breeding areas, greenhouse breeding areas, etc., and separately sets up technical training centers, seedling breeding centers, germplasm rooms, incubation rooms, gene conversion rooms, etc., with excellent infrastructure and a complete system.
Wuhan Nongke Huimin Company: Adhering to the tradition of "diligent reading and hard work, self-improvement and helping others," our company takes "scientific farming" as its mission, promoting the industrial development of centipede resources with the business philosophy of "integrity, dedication, realism, innovation, win-win." We will strive to provide our fellow farmers with higher-quality, higher-yield seedlings, more advanced technology, and more comprehensive services, so let us keep pace with the times and jointly create a more brilliant tomorrow.
Wuhan Nongke Huimin Centipede Breeding Official Website: hm9188.com/index1.asp
Consultation: 027-87672386 or 87672385 Mr. Yu, detailed understanding via QQ: 1229441013
Mr. Guo: 15527826158
Address of the Hubei Nongke Huimin Centipede Breeding Base: Room 318, Tianhui Building, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuchang District, Wuhan City