System and method for insect culture maintenance

A vial cap for insect culture maintenance comprising:

• a top wall and a side wall extending about the top wall and defining a cap cavity configured to receive an open end of a vial such that the vial cap is slidable along an outer surface of the vial between a closed position and an open position, the side wall defining a tunnel that extends through the side wall, the tunnel being sealed by the vial when the vial cap is in the closed position and unobstructed by the vial when the vial cap is in the open position;
• and
• a connector supported on the side wall, the connector configured to couple the vial cap to a second vial cap
• wherein the connector includes a first bayonet appendage and a second bayonet appendage positioned on opposite sides of the tunnel.

An insect culture maintenance system comprising:

• a first cap assembly including:
• a first cap having a top wall and a side wall extending downwardly from the top wall, the top wall and the side wall of the first cap defining a first cavity, the side wall of the first cap defining a first tunnel and a first through bore that extend through the side wall of the first cap, the side wall of the first cap having an outer surface supporting a first connector;
• and
• a first cap valve having a body and including a first abutment member extending outwardly from the body through the first through bore of the first cap, the body of the first cap valve movable from a first state to a second state in response to inward movement of the abutment member within the first through bore of the cap, wherein in the first state, the first cap valve seals the first tunnel, and in the second state, the first cap valve unseals the first tunnel;
• and
• a second cap assembly including:
• a second cap having a top wall and a side wall extending downwardly from the top wall, the top wall and the side wall of the second cap defining a second cavity configured to receive an open end of a second vial, the side wall of the second cap defining a second tunnel and a second through bore that extend through the side wall of the second cap, the side wall of the second cap having an outer surface supporting a second connector;
• and
• a second cap valve having a body and including a second abutment member extending outwardly from the body through the through bore of the second cap, the body of the second cap valve movable from a first state to a second state in response to inward movement of the second abutment member within the second through bore of the second cap, wherein in the first state of the second cap valve, the second cap valve seals the second tunnel, and in the second state of the second cap valve, the second cap valve unseals the second tunnel,
• wherein the first connector is couplable to the second connector to secure the first cap to the second cap.