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During weaning, piglets experience concurrent social, physical, and nutritional stressors. Consequently, piglets often have poor feed intake and display increased oral manipulative behaviours post-weaning, indicative of compromised welfare. Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) possess many attractive properties for pigs and could therefore function as effective edible enrichment, potentially alleviating weaning stress by facilitating exploration and promoting feed intake. In this study, pairs of piglets received a small amount of either live BSFL or wood shavings (8 pens/treatment) scattered throughout the pen twice a day for 11 days after weaning. Home-pen behaviour was scored by instantaneous scan sampling on day 2, 5 and 8, and behavioural responses to a novel environment and novel object were scored on day 10/11. Performance-related parameters were observed regularly. Larvae provisioning increased floor-directed exploration and decreased object-directed exploration, pig-directed oral manipulation, fighting and eating of pellets, and reduced neophobia towards a novel object. Pellet intake was significantly decreased by BSFL provisioning during day 4–11 post-weaning, although feed and net energy intake including BSFL never differed between treatments. BSFL provisioning did not influence piglet growth, feed efficiency, energy efficiency, and faecal consistency. To conclude, live BSFL provisioning positively affected post-weaning piglet behaviour while maintaining performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wetland habitats created within the area of sugar factory sedimentation basins on the periphery of the Opava city (Czech Republic: Silesia) proved to be a secondary refuge of water-associated soldierflies (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), all of which had already disappeared from the surrounding agricultural landscape. A total of 12 species (9 with aquicolous larvae) have been recorded. Five species belong to endangered taxa in the Czech Republic, three being classified as vulnerable and two, Odontomyia angulata (Panzer 1798) and Odontomyia annulata (Meigen 1822) even as regionally extinct species. It is suggested that the impact of the sugar industry (sedimentation of waste water and sludge) positively influenced the water regime (by adding water) and chemistry (by increasing pH and Ca+ concentration in the water) of the area. These circumstances combined with the presence of abandoned basins and adjacent sedge marsh and flowering meadow constituted ideal conditions for breeding of jeopardized soldierflies with aquatic larvae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The larvae of the black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens (Linnaeus, 1758) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), are considered an efficient system for the bioconversion of organic waste into usable products, such as insect protein for animal feed and bioactive molecules. Despite the great interest toward H. illucens and its biotechnological applications, information on the biology of this insect is still scarce. In particular, no data on the structural and functional properties of the digestive system of the adult insect are available and it is a common belief that the fly does not eat. In the present work, we therefore investigate the remodeling process of the BSF larval midgut during metamorphosis, analyze the morphofunctional properties of the adult midgut, evaluate if the fly is able to ingest and digest food and assess whether the feeding supply influences the adult performances. Our results show that the larval midgut of H. illucens is removed during metamorphosis and a new pupal-adult epithelium, characterized by peculiar features compared to the larval organ, is formed by proliferation and differentiation of midgut stem cells. Moreover, our experiments indicate that the adult insect possesses a functional digestive system and that food administration affects the longevity of the fly. These data not only demonstrate that the adult BSF is able to eat but also open up the possibility to manipulate the feeding substrate of the fly to improve its performances in mass rearing procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present communication deals with recording of nine species of soldier flies (Insecta: Diptera: Stratiomyidae) from Sunderban Biosphere Reserve of India, of which, Tinda indica (Walker, 1851), Hermetia illucens (Linnaeus, 1758), Odontomyia kashmirensis Brunetti, 1920, Odontomyia viridana (Wiedemann, 1824), Prosopochrysa vitripennis (Doleschall, 1856) are being reported for the first time from this unique and globally acclaimed mangrove ecosystem. Odontomyia kashmirensis Brunetti, 1920 is reported for the first time from the state of West Bengal. A key to identify these species is provided with taxonomic notes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (Linnaeus, 1758), is an important economic fly as its larvae can be used for recycling organic waste, such as food waste and manure. H. illucens larvae (BSFL) could uptake Cd from substrates and accumulate it inside bodies, which need to be monitored during waste treatment. Metallothionein (MT) usually serve as biomarker because of its role in metal homeostasis, detoxification, and dose response of heavy metals. Therefore, a MT gene was cloned from H. illucens (HIMT) that encoded 40 amino acids with typical cysteine rich features, which had a high sequence identity with other insect MTs. The expression of HIMT and total MT protein was measured in BSFL fed by meals spiked with gradient dose of Cd (0, 5, 50, 500 mg/kg) for 24, 48, 72, and 96 h, respectively. Dose-associated response of HIMT and total MT were found and the possible correlative range of Cd was from 5 to 50 mg/kg. The expression of HIMT might be a potential biomarker for monitoring Cd contamination by H. illucens in terrestrial organic matters, which might further apply in waste transformation system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study of the effect of a complex probiotic preparation with bacteria of the genus Bacillus and a microdose of larvae of the fly Hermetia illucens on the physiological parameters of fish has been carried out. It was established that introduction of the complex into artificial feeds for tilapia and Russian sturgeon juveniles during their incubation in recirculating aquaculture systems improves the digestion efficiency and increases the rate of fish growth and body mass accumulation. In tilapia, a decrease in the cholesterol level was revealed, while in sturgeon, an increase in the hemoglobin content was found. It was noted that a probiotic with biologically active agents H. illucens had a stimulating effect on the development of sexual gonads in female sturgeon fry, promoted an increase in the ovary mass, and provided for the development of eggs without morphological disturbances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recycling of organic waste worldwide is not effective, which leads to water pollution and loss of potential crop fertilizers. Available resources have to be used more efficiently as the world population increases. An innovative solution is to use insects for the management of organic waste. Here, we used black soldier fly to convert organic waste into animal feed protein, as fly larvae, and plant fertilizer, as compost residue. A continuous fly reactor was monitored for 9 weeks. We analyzed physicochemical and microbial parameters, and we evaluated the sanitary risk. Results show 55.1 % of material degradation and 11.8 % of biomass conversion based upon total solids. We observed higher levels of N and P in the treatment residue than in the inflow material. Results also show a lower concentration of Salmonella spp. and viruses. Compost treatment with black soldier fly is therefore an efficient system for nutrient recycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat-shock proteins (Hsp) provide the cellular and full-body adaptation of animals to various adverse environmental conditions. The hsp70 is believed to play a major role in the biological adaptation of all organisms studied so far. In all animals the regulatory regions of the heat shock genes studied include several conservative promoter elements HSEs (heat shock elements) that are needed to bind heat-shock transcription factor (HSF). The promoter regions of the hsp70 genes are extremely conserved and, hence, it has been generally accepted that they are universal and can operate in species that belong to different phyla. In the present work, we performed a comparative analysis that revealed characteristic differences in the hsp70 promoters of two Diptera species, i.e., Drosophila melanogaster and highly thermotolerance soldier fly Stratiomys singularior. We measured promoter activity in D. melanogaster cell culture exploring in vitro luciferase reporter assay. The analysis demonstrated significantly higher strength of D. melanogaster promoters despite that comparable numbers of HSEs were present in both species. These drastic differences in the promoter strength are probably due to the absence of GAF-binding sites, which are necessary for the efficient functioning of D. melanogaster hsp70 promoters. In contrast, the comparison of hsp83 promoters isolated from these two species has not shown significant differences. Our results demonstrate existence of different evolutionary trends in the regulation of the hsp70 expression even within the same order (Diptera). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although transitions of sex-determination mechanisms are frequent in species with homomorphic sex chromosomes, heteromorphic sex chromosomes are thought to represent a terminal evolutionary stage owing to chromosome-specific adaptations such as dosage compensation or an accumulation of sex-specific mutations. Here we show that an autosome of Drosophila, the dot chromosome, was ancestrally a differentiated X chromosome. We analyse the whole genome of true fruitflies (Tephritidae), flesh flies (Sarcophagidae) and soldier flies (Stratiomyidae) to show that genes located on the dot chromosome of Drosophila are X-linked in outgroup species, whereas Drosophila X-linked genes are autosomal. We date this chromosomal transition to early drosophilid evolution by sequencing the genome of other Drosophilidae. Our results reveal several puzzling aspects of Drosophila dot chromosome biology to be possible remnants of its former life as a sex chromosome, such as its minor feminizing role in sex determination or its targeting by a chromosome-specific regulatory mechanism. We also show that patterns of biased gene expression of the dot chromosome during early embryogenesis, oogenesis and spermatogenesis resemble that of the current X chromosome. Thus, although sex chromosomes are not necessarily evolutionary end points and can revert back to an autosomal inheritance, the highly specialized genome architecture of this former X chromosome suggests that severe fitness costs must be overcome for such a turnover to occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today’s knowledge of worldwide species diversity of 19 families of aquatic Diptera in Continental Waters is presented. Nevertheless, we have to face for certain in most groups a restricted knowledge about distribution, ecology and systematic, particularly in the tropical environments. At the same time we realize a dramatically decline or even lack of specialists being able, having the time or the opportunity to extend or even secure the present information. The respective families with approximate numbers of aquatic species are: Blephariceridae (308), Deuterophlebiidae (14), Nyphomyiidae (7), Psychodidae (∼2.000), Scatopsidae (∼5), Tanyderidae (41), Ptychopteridae (69), Dixidae (173), Corethrellidae (97), Chaoboridae (∼50), Thaumaleidae (∼170), Ceratopogonidae (∼6.000), Stratiomyidae (∼43), Empididae (∼660), Lonchopteridae (2), Syrphidae (∼1.080), Sciomyzidae (∼190), Ephydridae (∼1.500), Muscidae (∼870). Numbers of aquatic species will surely increase with increased ecological and taxonomical efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The saltmarsh sharp-tailed sparrow (Ammodramus caudacutus) and the morphologically similar seaside sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus) occur together in Atlantic coast salt marshes. Over 2 yr we examined food exploitation patterns to gain an understanding of how these species coexist and to characterize the trophic conditions that allow the maintenance of different mating systems within the same habitat. In the promiscuous saltmarsh sharp-tailed sparrow, only females feed the young, while the young of the socially monogamous seaside sparrow are fed by both parents. To determine dietary patterns, we used a nonlethal method (throat constriction) to obtain food samples from nestlings. Resource states were determined by sweep-netting the vegetation and by taking cores from the marsh surface. Based on volume, the same 4 prey groups (flies, amphipods, grasshoppers, moths) composed > 80% of each species diet. The main food of both sparrows was adult and juvenile (larval and pupal) soldier flies (Stratiomyidae: Odontomyia microstomata). Measures of dietary overlap, based on resource states, indicated that nestling diets did not differ between species on a seasonal basis or over 2-wk intervals. As the season progressed, each species tracked in parallel changes in resource abundance. Diets did not diverge from what was expected if food was exploited randomly; diets frequently overlapped significantly more than expected. Interspecific resource-use patterns were congruent over 2 yr. Based on the results of this study, and on an evaluation of hypotheses based on life history information from previously published work, we conclude that food usually is not limiting for these sparrows and that resource abundance has fostered behavioral and dietary opportunism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerial vertebrate foragers, e.g. insectivorous bats, martins and swallows, often show gregarious behavior such as colonial breeding, communal roosting and aggregating behavior during foraging. Studies of gregariousness in aerial foragers have mostly focused on colonial breeding or communal roosting, and only a few intensive studies have dealt with gregariousness during foraging. Here, we report on large and stable aggregations of barn swallows, Hirundo rustica, observed during daytime after the breeding season in Japan. Relatively large aggregations of 20 or more birds were located around poultry, pig and cattle farms and mounds of manure. The aggregations were stable in size both within-days and between-days. Their activities consisted only of repeated cycles of foraging and resting around the farms where their prey, the large black soldier fly Hermetia illuceus (>10 mm) and other medium (5–10 mm) flies, was dense. Distributions of swallows around the farms overlapped with the distributions of prey, and the size of the aggregations significantly correlated with the abundance of prey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fiberglass mesh enclosures (1 × 1 m2) in a Typha angustifolia L. marsh were employed to examine the effects of clay additions on the resident macroinvertebrate communities. Total invertebrate density, insect density, and number of insect families decreased significantly by 33%, 37%, and 17%, respectively, in enclosures receiving sediment. More specifically, incoming clay adversely affected densities of Coleoptera larvae, Diptera larvae, Megaloptera larvae, Odonata larvae, Pelecypoda, and Gastropoda. Densities of specific families within the Diptera (larvae) and Coleoptera were also affected; Dolichopodidae, Stratiomyidae, Hydrophilidae, Tabanidae, Dytiscidae adults, and Scirtidae larvae decreased significantly in numbers in sedimented enclosures. In contrast, the effect of sedimentation on Carabidae (adults and larvae) and Dytiscidae larval densities varied significantly with time, whereby densities were higher in the sedimented treatment only for the initial two months of the study. Densities of predator-engulfer, collector-filterer, and scraper feeding groups were reduced in sedimented plots by 28%, 44%, and 27%, respectively. Significant short- and long-term increases in turbidity and suspended solids in enclosures treated with clay, as well as sediment deposition, were probably responsible for changes in the invertebrate communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic waste is a rapidly increasing problem due to the growth of the agricultural production needed to meet global food demands. Development of sustainable waste management solutions is essential. Black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) (BSF), larvae are voracious consumers of a wide range of organic materials ranging from fruits and vegetables to animal remains, and manure. Thanks to this ability and considering the larval high protein and lipid content, BSF larvae are a useful additive in animal feeds and biodiesel production. Unfortunately, the feasibility of using the black soldier fly as a tool for waste valorization and feed production has primarily been investigated at the benchtop scale. Thus, mobilization of current practices to an industrial scale is challenging because scaling up from small laboratory studies to large industrial studies is not necessarily linear. The goal of this study was to demonstrate the ability of the BSF to recycle organic waste at an industrial scale. To accomplish this goal, three organic waste streams were used (e.g., apples, bananas, and spent grain from a brewery) to test six diet treatments (1) apple, (2) banana, (3) spent grain, (4) apple and banana, (5) apple and spent grain, and (6) banana and spent grain. Working at scale of 10,000 BSF larvae life history traits, waste valorization, protein and lipid profiles were measured for each diet treatment. Differences were recorded across all variables, except substrate conversion, for larvae fed on fruit and spent grain (alone or with fruit). Growth rate significantly differed across treatments; larvae reared on spent grain grew twice as fast as those fed apples alone, but those reared on the apple and spent grain mixture produced twice as much insect biomass. However, it should be noted that larvae resulting from the apple diet contained 50% more fat than larvae fed the fruit and spent grain mixtures. Commonly-available organic wastes were successfully used at an industrial scale to produce BSF larvae that have the potential to substitute other sources of protein and lipids in different industrial applications. Industrialization efforts are encouraged to assess these impacts when integrating diverse ingredients into larval diets as a means to more precisely predict output, such as larval development time and final larval biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]