I want to study the impact of different temperatures on insect fauna in closed chambers. i don't have growth chambers in my entomology lab. Is there any way to control temperature and Relative Humidity?
Great question. Generally insects tend to suffer badly in dry environments. I have seen salty water used to keep a stable humidity. Also to increase the humidity you can leave paper towel hanging over the edge of a container of water. The towel wicks the moisture from the container into the air. Hope that helps.
If you have money then purchase Insect Growth Chamber of Rescholar Company having temperature, RH and light intensity systems.
Hello, you can buy a HOBO UX100-011 Temperature/Relative Humidity data logger, or HOBO LCD - Temperature/Relative Humidity (RH) Data Logger - U14-001.
Hello Andleeb Tahira,
For experiments based on insects you must have a BOD incubator because you may control humidity/ temperature, but you can't make them constant!!!! And for experiments one may need constant temperature and relative humidity.
Good luck !!
HI Adleeb
No simple answer to your problem I am afraid. Yes, the ideal is to obtain a temperature controlled and humidity controlled growth chamber but in my experience they are not very well controlled. The one Shravan recommended may be better than those I have tried and it depends upon how critical the temperature or RH drift is going to be for your experiment.
Controlling humidity using various saturated salt solutions (see Handbook of Chemistry and Physics for humidities produced by different salts) can work to some extent but in our experience again, even in sealed containers, the saturated salts do not work as well as claimed. Also you have the problem of "crystal creep" where the continual evaporation and recondensation results in crystals of salt creeping up the sides of the container and over spilling onto the rest of the incubator.
For small crawling insects, snap-topped plastic boxes (Sandwich boxes) can be very useful and can be placed in a standard incubator but you need to be mindful of a) the moisture generated by the insects themselves as they metabolise and b) the risk of CO2 build up, which is critically lethal for some species even at low concentrations.
Good luck
Ian
What is the main function of this chamber. How large is it? What is its walls made from. The best way is to use air conditioning apparatus for large rooms. For small rooms you can use heaters, coolers and humdizer. To avoid the nonhomogeneities you can use air distribution system.
Best wishes
Hi Tahira
Its very simple. Take a wooden box with one side minute net.
One thermostat with digi display (avialable online with very low cost) soak the foam with water within the chamber and start to connect the thermostat with 60W bulb. Certainly you will get the 36 dig tem with 60 to 70 percent relative humidity.
This is the most economical method.
If any sugestion more required contact me on 9304218419
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