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Dried or defatted black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae meal has been shown an important ingredient in aquafeed, but little information is available about the effects of black soldier fly pulp (BSFP) on growth and health of fish. A 62-day feeding trial was conducted to assess the effects of dietary BSFP on growth performance, whole body composition, serum metabolites, antioxidant and immune response of Micropterus salmoides. Four isoproteic and isolipidic diets were formulated by adding BSFP (original substance) to the basal diet at the rate of 0% (BSFP0), 1% (BSFP1), 2% (BSFP2) and 4% (BSFP4), corresponding to inclusion of 0, 4.5, 9.0 and 18.0 g/kg DM in diets. Each diet was randomly assigned to triplicate groups of 35 fish per tank. Fish were fed twice daily to apparent satiation. Blood samples were collected at the terminal trial to analyse serum metabolites, antioxidant and immune enzyme activities. Results indicated that fish fed BSFP2 had higher (P

The effects of four antibiotics (metronidazole (M) levofloxacin (L), sodium ampicillin (A), and streptomycin sulphate (S)) and their pair-wise combinations at three doses on the development and intestinal bacterial diversity of the black soldier fly (BSF; Hermetia illucens) larvae were studied. At a low dose M and L were able to inhibit larval growth. At a high dose, all antibiotics were shown to inhibit larval growth. However, the pair-wise combinational use of the antibiotics did not effectively enhance the inhibitory effect. The gut bacterial diversity of the normal control (NC) was significantly higher than the antibiotic-treated groups with 737 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) from the larval guts of NC, compared to 305 and 227 from ML and AS. The number of anaerobic bacteria in ML was significantly lower than in NC and AS, with the relative abundance of OTUs from larval guts of ML being only about 0.01, compared to 0.4 for NC and 0.15 for AS. These results indicated that antibiotics at the experimental concentration did not affect the palatability of food for insects, but they would affect the diversity of food and intestinal microorganisms of BSF larvae, and the inhibitory effect of antibiotics on growth and development of BSF larvae displayed in this study was a complex effect.

The black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), has become one of the most economically important insects that can be a sustainable replacement for traditional feed for swine, poultry, and aquaculture. Despite its emerging importance, studies examining the nutritional requirement of BSF have been scarce. Here we used nutritional geometry approach to determine the separate and combined effects of dietary protein and carbohydrate content on multiple life-history traits and body composition linked to fitness in BSF. BSF larvae were reared on one of 32 chemically defined diets that varied in protein-to-carbohydrate ratio (P:C=1:16, 1:8, 1:4, 1:2, 1:1, 2:1, 4:1, or 8:1) and in protein plus carbohydrate concentration (P+C=60, 120, 180, or 240 g/l). Females developed more slowly into larger adults than males, but two sexes responded to dietary variation in protein and carbohydrate in a similar manner. The topography of the nutritional performance landscapes mapped for all measured traits differed significantly from one another, with the optimal P:C ratio being 1:1.71 for preadult survivorship, 1:1.56 – 1:1.11 for development time, 1:3.36 – 1:3.16 for body weight at adult emergence, and 1:1.83 – 1:1.40 for growth rate. Significant divergence in nutritional optima among these components of fitness indicates that the occurrence of fundamental life-history trade-off can be mediated by macronutrient intake. The index representing the preadult performance of BSF had a nonlinear relationship with dietary protein, with the peak centred at the intermediate P:C ratios of 1:1.43 – 1:1.37. The optimal P:C ratio was 1:2.12 – 1:1.70 for lean body weight and 1:14.14 – 1:10.82 for lipid content. Our results highlight the importance of the balanced composition of dietary protein and carbohydrate for optimising BSF performance and have implications for enhancing the mass production of this beneficial species.

Insects are a new alternative for food and feed and a solution for circular economy. Among the most promising insects, black soldier fly, mainly in the larvae phase, is a solution specially for feed, and in particular in its dried form. The aim of this work was to study the water loss transfer during convective drying of black soldier fly larvae (BSFL). The mass transfer model consisted of mass diffusion with two alternative boundary conditions (no external resistance and convection) and with/without shrinkage, applied with finite elements method, with a triangular mesh of 3,036 elements and a geometry reproducing the shape of the larvae. The moisture diffusion coefficient, estimated from the experimental data assuming an infinite slab, increased from 0.7002×10-10 m2/s at 60 °C to 2.792×10-10 m2/s at 90 °C, with an activation energy of 43.97 kJ/mol. The simulation predicted with detail the water content profile showing a quick water loss on the outer layers of the BSFL at the initial times. The evolution of the overall water content of BSFL during drying was better predicted for long times (when more than 80% of the moisture was removed) and at the highest temperature of 90 °C and showed that diffusion was the dominating mechanism, with small influence of the boundary conditions studied. Although shrinkage between 21 and 29% was considered, depending on the temperature, the inclusion of volume change in the model did not significantly improved the water content prediction.

The main use of black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) is currently as an animal feed ingredient. While the bacterial community of the larvae has been characterised repeatedly via sequencing, microbiological safety assessment based on culture-dependent techniques is still scarce. This study focused on the occurrence of the spore-forming foodborne pathogen Clostridium perfringens during rearing and consecutive processing of the larvae, based on observations in a single rearing facility. C. perfringens vegetative cells and spores were determined, in addition to total viable counts, total aerobic spore counts and intrinsic parameters including pH, water activity and moisture content. All samples were obtained from an industrial production plant. In a preliminary experiment, substrate ingredients and dried larvae were analysed, but the larvae were produced with a previous batch of the substrate mixture. A second, more detailed, experiment was performed where all samples were collected sequentially from the same production run (substrate ingredients, substrate mixture, starting larvae, harvested larvae, residue, dried larvae and stored dried larvae). In the two experiments, (presumptive) C. perfringens, as determined on tryptose sulphite cycloserine agar, was found at low numbers in the ingredients and in the second experiment it was also found in the substrate mixture. Over the two experiments, total C. perfringens counts (i.e. vegetative cells plus spores) ranged between 3.0±0.1 and

Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL; Hermetia illucens) are known as an alternative feed for livestock, but their lack of polyunsaturated fatty acids (such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)) makes it less valuable. To overcome these problems, BSFL substrate (chicken feed) was fortified with squid liver oil (SLO) at five different concentrations (0, 2.5, 5, 10, and 20%). The growth rate, feed conversion, and nutritional content of BSFL were evaluated at day 15 of rearing. Of the five concentrations, SLO 5% showed the highest growth increase (25.82-fold) among the other treatments (20.63-22.98-fold; P

Research on the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens (L.) Diptera: Stratiomyidae) is steadily increasing, with a focus on its larvae and applications thereof. The egg stage of this species has received less research. This study describes the phases of embryo development for BSF eggs and the potential of delaying embryo development by using a chilling protocol. The study found that when chilling eggs for 24 hours at 10 °C and 80% relative humidity, the development is paused for a full day. This study presents a window of opportunity for embryo ages, approximately 38-58 hours post oviposition, where the hatch success is the least affected (>80% hatching when compared to control). Outside of this window, the hatch success decreases to 70% and lower. The description of embryo development can be used as a reference tool for quality control purposes. The effect of treatments on eggs can be determined by identifying key processes in development. Furthermore, the chilling of embryos and thus pausing of development can be applied in a production setting.

The demand for animal-based protein sources is increasing rapidly. The rearing of insects on bioproducts and their subsequent use as feedstock for animals has been receiving a lot of attention lately. Hermetia illucens, black soldier flies are highly investigated insects owing to their ability to reduce and transform different types of wastes, such as agricultural, household, municipal wastes, and human sludge. The nutritional composition and amino acid profile of black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) raised on these organic wastes is similar to that of several feed constituents making it a suitable material for feed. However, the commercialisation of BSFL is limited due to prevailing unclear legislative requirements regarding their use as feed. In this paper, the legislative landscape involved in using BSFL as feed in different regions is addressed. European Union, Australia, Canada and USA specifically allow the trade and manufacture of BSFL as feed under specific conditions. Interestingly, most countries where entomophagy is a tradition, lack specific regulations concerning their use as feed and are currently drafting regulatory frameworks. Understanding the legislative layout is essential for harmonising the industrial upscaling of BSFL as animal feed.

A pilot facility was developed to evaluate the digestion efficiency of mixed fruit peel waste by black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae); BSF) larvae in Sri Lanka. Larval biomass was characterised by proximate analysis and the techno-functional properties of BSF larvae flour protein were determined. A cost-benefit analysis was conducted to assess the feasibility of operating an onsite BSF digestion facility for a medium scale fruit juice manufacturer. The observed optimum feeding rate was 1.5 g/larva. A bioconversion rate of 15.41 was achieved. The waste reduction index was 1.73. The feed conversion rate was 3.85. The efficiency of conversion of digested food was 0.29. The highest wet and dry weight reductions were 61.72 and 55.10% respectively, indicating very efficient digestion. The crude protein content of BSF larvae was 40.87% while the crude fat content was 26.67%, proving it is a potential protein source as a feed ingredient. The protein fraction also had highly desirable techno-functional properties (water-binding capacity 3.00 g/gDM, oil binding capacity 5.22 g/gDM, emulsifying capacity 36.00 ml/g, foaming capacity 0.48, and foaming stability 0.15). The waste is currently being dumped in a non-sustainable manner at US$ 10.00 per one metric ton. The cost-benefit analysis showed a net benefit of US$ 3,963.76 per month from this valorisation, suggesting it is a highly viable, eco-friendly option for processing fruit processing industry or similar organic waste under tropical conditions in middle income countries.

The larvae of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens L.) (BSFL) is an excellent decomposer for industrial and agricultural applications capable of converting low-value waste into nutritional biomass. Sesame residues is industrial food waste possess high protein and lipid content. To investigate the bioconversion process of BSFL, the larvae were raised on a low-bioburden diet consisting of sesame residue, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis was performed on the BSFL and faeces at various instars. The obtained metabolomes were subsequently evaluated through principal component analysis and orthogonal projection to latent structure-discriminant analysis to explore the differential components. Diacylglycerol was the main component of the sesame residues utilised by BSFL during metabolism. The phenylalanine, arginine, oleic acid and 10-hydroxy-8E-octadecenoic acid were identified as the major components in various instars of the BSFL metabolites. We thus concluded that BSFL have different nutritional compositions at different instar stages. Another compound with a molecular weight of 278.224 prevalent in both the larvae and faeces might play vital roles in BSFL development. The present study revealed a part of metabolic changes important in the BSFL lifecycle. Through this pioneering metabolomics profiles, the discovery of highly-valuable biomolecules on BSFL for food industrial application can be anticipated.

Population growth and rapid urbanisation have increased the global demand for animal feed and protein sources. Therefore, traditional animal feed production should be increased through the use of alternative nutrient sources. Insects as feed are beginning to fill this need. One such insect is the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens L. (Diptera: Stratiomyidae). However, to more effectively mass produce the black soldier fly, a better understanding of its thermal biology is needed. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of age, size, and sex on adult black soldier fly thermal preference. The thermal preference of adult black soldier flies was determined by exposing flies to a thermal gradient with a range of surface temperatures and monitoring their positions over time. An aluminium plate was used to create a linear thermal gradient where surface temperatures ranged from ~15-60 °C. Flies were distinguished by age (1-d-post-emergence vs 7-d-post-emergence), size (large vs small) and sex (male vs female) to assess whether thermal preference differed by specific life-history traits. Thermal preference for 7-d-post-emergence adults was significantly lower (19.2 °C) than 1-d-post-emergence adults (28.7 °C), respectively. Similarly, small adults selected significantly cooler (21.1 °C) temperatures than large adults (26.9 °C). No significant differences in thermal preferences were found between sex, regardless of age or size. In fact, males and females had similar thermal preference of 23.8 and 24.2 °C, respectively. This study reveals that multiple life-history traits of adult black soldier fly affect their thermal preference, and thus should be taken into consideration by mass rearing facilities to optimize production.

The aim of this study was to identify the effect of inclusion of defatted black soldier fly larvae (Def-BSFL) meal as a protein source on the performance and blood plasma constituents of broiler chickens. A total of 360-day-old chicks were assigned into four dietary groups, which included four different levels of Def-BSFL meal namely control (0% BSFL), T1(4% BSFL), T2 (8% BSFL) and T3 (12% BSFL) for six weeks experimental feeding period. At the end of the experiment, the blood samples of three birds from each treatment were collected to measure plasma constituents. Birds fed control and T1 diets demonstrated higher feed intake during the finisher stage compared with T2 and T3 diets. The heaviest weight for the 6-week feeding trial was recorded at T1 (1043.8 ± 65.9 g). Birds fed T1 (1.1 ± 0.0) and T3 (0.9 ± 0.1) diets displayed lower feed conversion ratio during the finisher stage than those fed control (1.7 ± 0.1) and T2 (1.8 ± 0.3) diets. Birds fed the control diet demonstrated the highest red blood cell with mean and standard deviation of 7.5 ± 0.34, whereas those fed the T2 diet showed the highest haemoglobin levels with mean and standard deviation of 15.8 ± 0.24. Birds fed T1, T2, and T3 diets exhibited a higher number (P

Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) are widely used in recycling and upcycling of nutrients in agri-food by-products, but low and inconsistent BSFL rearing performance (i.e. larval growth, bioconversion rate, and substrate reduction) has been identified as a key challenge. The aims of this research were two-fold: (1) validate an existing closed rearing system design; and (2) assess whether a microbial inoculum derived from the rearing residue increases rearing performance. In controlled bench-scale experiments, BSFL were reared on tomato pomace (TP) and white wine pomace (WWP), along with food waste as control substrate. The two aims were assessed based on the following response variables: larval mass, substrate reduction, residue properties (i.e. pH, temperature, moisture content), and larval intestinal and residue microbiota. Higher BSFL mass (by 5.1 mg dry mass) at harvest on WWP and substrate reduction on TP (by 11.7% dry mass) in the closed system compared to the open system confirmed the potential of closed systems for rearing performance improvements of agri-food by-products. The rearing system also affected the residual moisture content and temperature, but only had a small effect on microbiota. Performance improvements by the closed rearing system design may be outweighed by insufficient aeration with pasty substrates and higher operational efforts for aeration and larval separation from the high-moisture residues. In contrast to the rearing system design, addition of the residue-derived microbial inoculum did not result in improved performance, nor did it alter intestinal and residue microbiota. Missing performance improvements could have been due to absent or low numbers of probiotic bacteria. The success of microbial substrate supplementation could be improved by studying effects of larval-associated microbes and developing cultivation methods that selectively amplify the beneficial (yet unknown) members of the microbial community. Our investigations aimed to increase the valorisation of low-value agri-food by-products in BSFL rearing.

Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) treatment is promising for organic waste valorisation in the circular economy; however, waste variability impacts the process performance and quality of produced larvae. Specifically, variation in the carbohydrate profile of treated wastes has been suggested to have a significant impact on BSFL treatment performance and quality of produced larvae, with particular carbohydrates either positively or negatively influencing these variables. This study examines the hypothesis that the types of carbohydrates within the substrate can have significant influence on larval survival, waste reduction, bioconversion, and waste conversion efficiency, as well as the crude lipid content and fatty acid profiles of the produced larvae. The carbohydrates explored were D glucose, sucrose, D (−) fructose, corn and wheat starch, D (+) galactose, D (+) mannose, D (+) xylose, D (−) arabinose and xylan from beechwood. Young larvae were grown for 9 days on chicken feed-based diets containing various carbohydrate additives each at 20 dry mass %. Treatments containing hemicellulose constituents galactose and arabinose produced the most adverse effects on process performance relative to the benchmark. Xylan was significantly detrimental to bioconversion (−14.7 ± 3.8%) and waste conversion efficiencies (−19.0 ± 4.4%). There were minimal significant effects on performance from mono- and di-saccharides and starch additives. Larvae crude lipid contents were significantly increased by wheat starch (+12.6 ± 3.0%) and decreased by galactose (−15.0 ± 1.4%) and xylan additives (−27.5 ± 3.4%), however fatty acid profiles were largely unaffected and were dominated by lauric acid. These results indicate that despite an otherwise balanced and nutritious substrate, the carbohydrate profile of organic waste should be an important consideration in BSFL treatment when ensuring process performance and larval lipid contents. The consequences of these results for BSFL treatment of real wastes are discussed. Large scale treatment facilities should formulate substrates accordingly and identify methods to mitigate the anti-nutritional effects of poor carbohydrate profiles, particularly those high in hemicelluloses and their constituents.

Hermetia illucens larvae are able to convert a broad range of organic substrates into animal protein and are believed to have the potential to help solving the supply problem for animal protein in the future. Many farmed animals such as poultry or pigs need an adequate amount of essential amino acids like lysine for optimal growth and performance. In most diets for farmed animals, essential amino acids are supplemented as feed additive to avoid excessive protein intake while ensuring a sufficient supply of essential amino acids. There is no information on the requirements of lysine for the growth of H. illucens larvae. Furthermore, it remains open whether lysine may have an extra effect on growth and development in the cultivation of such larvae. The aim of the study was to evaluate, if an addition of lysine to their feed substrate will affect these parameters. Therefore, in the present study up to 3.0% crystalline lysine was added to a basic substrate and survival, growth, and development of larvae were recorded. Furthermore, larval nutritional values like crude fat, crude protein, and lysine content were analysed. The addition of lysine did not improve growth, development or nutritional values of H. illucens larvae. In contrast, the addition of lysine led to reduced larval size, survival and prepupal rates, especially when high amounts of lysine were provided. The results of this study indicate that a lysine content of 0.3% in the substrate is sufficient for optimal larval growth. Using H. illucens larvae for animal protein production could, therefore, be accomplished with less lysine compared to many other farmed animals.

Within Ontario alone, approximately 3.7 million tonnes of organic food waste is generated yearly. This waste includes food scraps, wasted food, and plant wastes such as leaves, plant stems, and fruit. Most of it is transported to landfills for composting each year, but the use of landfills as a method of waste management is not sustainable. It adds strain to the environment by releasing harmful greenhouse gases and by demanding landfill space. The current protocols set by the Ontario government, while promising, do not address methods that support the safe disposal of organic waste and conversion into valuable end products that could contribute economic benefits, the black soldier fly presents an opportunity to address this lack. The black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens Linnaeus (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) has the potential to reduce organic waste, including kitchen waste and manure. My dissertation investigated the black soldier fly as a means of waste management within Windsor-Essex, and its role in converting food waste into economically valuable end products. I investigated the black soldier fly’s ability to consume local municipal food waste from within this region. The flies reduced approximately 70% of the waste, and allowed me to develop a baseline for black soldier fly waste reduction within the area. As I measured slower development to adult and reduced waste reduction efficiency compared to a control diet of poultry feed, I investigated the potential role of pre-digestion and fermentation with beneficial microbes in the black soldier fly waste reduction process with the goal of improving the baseline waste reduction efficiency. Fermentation time impacted development and waste reduction efficiency of the black soldier fly. Diets fermented for 0 days had a positive influence on the survival and bioconversion efficiency of the black soldier fly, while diets fermented for 2 days had a positive influence on the relative growth rate and waste reduction efficiency. Diets fermented for longer than 2 days negatively affected the black soldier fly development, growth and waste conversion efficiency. The results show that using beneficial microbes is not straightforward and might depend on the purpose of the bioconversion process. Since larval density influences the waste conversion efficiency, it is essential to rapidly quantify egg numbers for introduction to waste streams. Thus, I developed a commercially-scalable model to quantify the number of eggs oviposited by female black soldier flies based on egg mass weight or volume. The model was created using linear regression of egg masses across a range of sizes and relating egg number to relate egg mass weight or volume. Once the linear equation was developed, it was validated with a new set of egg masses of varying sizes. Egg mass volume and weight were positively correlated to the number of eggs deposited in an egg mass, and either can be used to estimate the number of eggs within egg masses. Finally, I investigated the use of black soldier fly processing residue (residual wastes, shed exoskeletons, and frass) as a fertilizer for an economic value-added product. Tomato seeds were planted in an inert growing media (coconut coir) with three concentrations of the processing residue and compared to a control of slow-release fertilizer. The two highest concentrations of black soldier fly processing residue resulted in failed germination, whereas the lowest concentration supported germination and growth with larger root and shoot biomass, larger leaf area, and a higher number of flowering trusses compared to the slow-release fertilizer treatment. Together, my research provides valuable new insight into the black soldier fly’s waste conversion ability, an essential tool for commercially-scalable methods of quantifying egg numbers in a non-destructive and timely manner that allows the establishment of optimized feed rates for the black soldier fly in waste management, and a useful end product to promote a circular economy.

With the growing importance of the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) for both sustainable food production and waste management as well as for science, a great demand of understanding its immune system arises. Here, we present the first description of the circulating larval haemocytes with special emphasis on uptake of microorganisms and distinguishing haemocyte types. With histological, zymographic, and cytometric methods and with a set of haemocyte binding lectins and antibodies, the haemocytes of H. illucens are identified as plasmatocytes, crystal cells, and putative prohaemocytes. Total haemocyte counts (THC) are determined, and methods for THC determination are compared. Approximately 1100 haemocytes per microlitre haemolymph are present in naive animals, while haemocyte density decreases dramatically shortly after wounding, indicating a role of haemocytes in response to wounding (and immune response in general). The determination of the relative abundance of each haemocyte type (differential haemocyte count, DHC) revealed that plasmatocytes are highly abundant, whereas prohaemocytes and crystal cells make up only a small percentage of the circulating cells. Plasmatocytes are not only the most abundant but also the professional phagocytes in H. illucens. They rapidly engulf and take up bacteria both in vivo and in vitro, indicating a very potent cellular defence against invading pathogens. Larger bioparticles such as yeasts are also removed from circulation by phagocytosis, but slower than bacteria. This is the first analysis of the potent cellular immune response in the black soldier fly, and a first tool box that helps to identify haemocyte (types) is presented. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

A seventy-five-day feeding study was performed to investigate the usage of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae meal as an alternative protein source in carp diets (Cyprinus carpio). In this study, experimental fish were fed with four different diets (fish meal-based without Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) meal (BSFL0), 50% (BSFL50), 65% (BSFL65), and 75% (BSFL75) of fish meal substitution with BSFL), with triplicate. The carps (1.045±0.083 g) were randomly stocked into twelve flow-through tanks with a density of 50 fish per tank and reared for 75 days. Diet feed was provided to carps as a proportion of their biomass (5% of their mass per day) with two meals a day. Carps fed with BSFL65 meal showed positive effects on weight gain (WG), specific growth rate (SGR), protein efficiency ratio (PER), apparent net protein utilization (ANPU), and feed conversion ratio (FCR). There were significant differences in moisture, crude protein, lipid, and ash content in the whole body among dietary groups (P, Yetmiş beş günlük besleme çalışmasında, Sazan (Cyprinus carpio) diyetlerinde alternatif protein kaynağı olarak Siyah Asker Sineği (Hermetia illucens) Larvası Ununun kullanım imkânları araştırılmıştır. Çalışmada, üç tekerrürlü olmak üzere, ASSL0 (Kontrol diyet grubu: sadece Balık unu), ASSL50 (Balık ununa ikame %50 ASSL), ASSL65 (Balık ununa ikame %65 ASSL) ve ASSL75 (Balık ununa ikame %75 ASSL) olacak şekilde dört farklı diyetle deneme balıkları beslenmiştir. Ortalama başlangıç ağırlıkları 1,045±0,083 g olan sazanlar (Cyprinus carpio) sürekli su akışının sağlandığı 12 adet tanka tesadüfi olarak ve her bir tanka stok yoğunluğu 50 adet olacak şekilde stoklanmış ve 75 gün süre ile besleme çalışması devam etmiştir. Deneme yemleri sazanlara vücut ağırlıklarının %5’i oranında sabah ve akşam olmak üzere günde iki kez verilmiştir. Deneme periyotu sonunda, ASSL65 diyet grubunda ağırlık kazancı, spesifik büyüme oranı, protein etkinlik oranı, net protein kullanım oranı ve yem değerlendirme oranı pozitif yönde etkilenmiştir. Diyet grupları arasında nem, ham protein, yağ ve kül içeriği açısından önemli farklılıklar tespit edilmiştir (P

The black soldier fly (BSF) Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) has been recognized as a promising insect species for sustainable management of organic waste and by-products. Indoor breeding of BSF with artificial lighting has been proved successful, but efforts are still needed to optimize BSF reproductive output. Increasing adult density seems an option to exploit space, whereas decreasing artificial lighting duration may reduce unnecessary power consumption. This study aimed at investigating the effects of adult density (10, 25, and 50 pairs per 30 × 30 × 30 cm cage; i.e., 370, 926, and 1,852 pairs/m3), light regime (8:16, 12:12, and 16:8 [L:D] h), and their possible interactions, on some BSF life history traits relevant to reproduction. The results show that the overall BSF reproductive output increased with increasing adult density but was not affected by light regimes per se. With the highest BSF adult density tested, an average of more than 20,000 neonate larvae were produced from a cage within 10 d. At this density, increasing photoperiod increased neonate production, but also decreased the number of neonates per watt used for artificial illumination. The temporal oviposition patterns, mean individual female reproductive output, mating success, egg hatching rate, and insect survival rate were not affected by adult density or light regime as simple effects. However, the interaction between adult density and light regime was significant for the first oviposition peak, mean individual female reproductive output, and insect survival rate. The possible mechanisms behind our results are discussed.

The present study investigated the effect of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae meal (BSF) on haemolymph biochemical indicators, muscle metabolites as well as the lipid and glucose metabolism of Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. Four diets were formulated in which the control diet contained 25 % of fishmeal (FM) and 10 % (BSF10), 20 % (BSF20), and 30 % (BSF30) of FM protein were replaced with BSF. Four hundred and eighty shrimp (0·88 ± 0·00 g) were distributed to four groups of three replicates and fed for 7 weeks. Results showed that growth performance of shrimp fed BSF30 significantly decreased compared with those fed FM, but there was no significant difference in survival among groups. The whole shrimp crude lipid content, haemolymph TAG and total cholesterol were decreased with the increasing BSF inclusion. The results of metabolomics showed that the metabolite patterns of shrimp fed different diets were altered, with significant changes in metabolites related to lipid metabolism, glucose metabolism as well as TCA cycle. The mRNA expressions of hk, pfk, pk, pepck, ampk, mcd, cpt-1 and scd1 in hepatopancreas were downregulated in shrimp fed BSF30, but mRNA expression of acc1 was upregulated. Unlike BSF30, the mRNA expressions of fas, cpt-1, fbp and 6pgd in hepatopancreas were upregulated in shrimp fed BSF20. This study indicates that BSF20 diet promoted lipid synthesis and lipolysis, while BSF30 diet weakened β-oxidation and glycolysis as well as affected the unsaturated fatty acids synthesis, which may affect the growth performance and body composition of shrimp.

Fats and oils irrespective of their application field are usually used as emulsions — disperse systems consisting of two immiscible liquids stabilized by an emulsifier. One of the main indicators for emulsions is effective viscosity, which characterizes behavior of liquid in flow. This indicator is also important for optimization of production processes, application and storage of emulsions. It was found that fat of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae is close to coconut and palm oil by its qualitative and quantitative composition, which makes it one of the promising alternative sources of fats for the industry. Based on this fact, the aim of the study was to determine effective viscosity of lecithin solutions and fat emulsions of black soldier fly larvae depending on the lecithin content of 0.5-2.5 weight%. It was found that consistency of the lecithin solutions increased when its concentration increased from 0.5 to 2 weight%. The lecithin solutions with concentrations of 1.0-2.0 weight% demonstrated weak pseudoplastic behavior and those with the lecithin content of 2.5 weight% dilettante. Emulsions with fat of black soldier fly larvae showed twofold lower consistency compared to the lecithin solutions of the same concentration and weak pseudoplastic behavior, which manifestation did not depend on the lecithin concentration.

Insect feces are a new kind of biological organic fertilizer. Little is known about the influences of insect feces on rice growth and heavy metal migration from soil to rice plant. In this study, the effects of different amounts (CK (0%), T1 (2%), T2 (4%), T3 (6%), and T4 (8%)) of black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) feces on the rice growth and the migration/accumulation of heavy metals (Cd and Pb) were investigated by pot experiments within 2 years. The application of insect feces remarkably increased the contents of soil pH, organic matter, ammonium nitrogen, available phosphorus, and potassium. Meanwhile, the insect feces application reduced the weak acid-soluble contents of soil Cd and Pb by 8.3-56.8%, but increased those in the oxidizable (by 22.4-165.7%) and residual (by 1.8-225.6%) states. Except for the T4 treatment in the first year, all fertilization treatments increased the rice yield (up to 43.7% and 195.5% higher than those of CK within 2 years). Moreover, the insect feces application reduced the contents of Cd (8.3-66.7%) and Pb (6.4-61.8%) in different parts of rice. Under the same treatment, the metal contents in each part of rice in the second year were lower than those in the first year. The insect feces application decreased the absorption coefficients (24.4-57.5%) and secondary transport coefficients (3.6-44.1%) of Cd and Pb by rice plant. The findings implied that the insect feces might act as effective organic fertilizers for rice plants as well as reducing heavy metal accumulation in rice plants growing in polluted soil.

Hermetia illucens is a sustainable and an increasingly bioeconomical source of nutrients for farm animals. It is still necessary, however, to improve our knowledge of the biological features of this species in order to maximize its use. The aims of this research were to evaluate the effect of the energy level of rearing diets on its body weight and fat-body reserves. The quantity and quality of the fats storred by the non-feeding stages of this insect and its reproductive performances were also studied. A control diet (CD - Gainesville diet) and three diets with progressively greater energy contents (kcal/kg ME) were formulated. The increase was achieved by including different amounts of maize, 40% (ED1), 60% (ED2) and 80% (ED3), in these three diets. Abother diet (ED4) consisted of fruit and vegetable waste. The results indicate that the body weight of larvae, prepupae, pupae and adult flies, as well as fat content of the larvae increased significantly (p ˂ 0.01) with increase in the energy content of the diets. There was a positive Pearson correlation between energy content of diets and body weight of adult flies. The heaviest egg clutches with the highest number of eggs/clutch (p ˂ 0.01) were laid by flies reared on the diets with the highest energy content. The quality of the fat stored by larvae did not influence the weight and number of egg laid.

The use of insects such as black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) and common housefly (Musca domestica) as an alternative source of protein in animal feed has gained interest in recent years. This study investigated the effect of four growing substrates on the biomass, crude nutrient and mineral composition of M. domestica larvae. After a 5-day growing period, the total dry matter (DM) of maggot yield was 69.70; 59.33; 43.58 and 41.04 g/kg for soybean bran + maize pericarp, pig manure, maize bran and chicken manure, respectively. The chemical composition of maggot was significantly influenced by the type of substrate. The highest contents in crude ash (124.90 g/kg DM), crude fibre (167.65 g/kg DM) and sodium (53.47 g/kg DM) were obtained from maggots produced with pig manure. Maggots produced with the mixture of soybean bran and maize pericarp showed the highest fat (218.40 g/kg DM), crude protein (517.10 g/kg DM), potassium (89.05 g/kg DM) and metabolizable energy (4198.52 kcal/kg DM) contents. Maggots from maize bran had more calcium (51.84 g/kg DM) and phosphorus (104.55 g/kg DM) than those from others substrates. This study showed that soybean bran + maize pericarp and pig manure are the most suitable substrates for maggots’ production to provide high yields of larvae with a good nutrient content.

Hermetia illucens meal is one of the most promising alternatives to fishmeal and soymeal. Fat oxidation quality of these products is crucial, as it directly influences the palatability of feed, and health of animals consuming it. During this study, oxidative quality of commercial H. illucens meal, fishmeal and soymeal was evaluated by measuring fatty acid profile, free fatty acid content, peroxide value, p-anisidine value and electron spin resonance spectra of lipid free radicals. Fishmeal and soymeal used in this study had antioxidants, either added (in fishmeal), or naturally present (in soymeal), whereas H. illucens meal had no added antioxidants. Results indicate that fishmeal contain high levels of lipid free radicals and secondary oxidation products, which may adversely affect the health of the animal consuming it. In contrast, H. illucens meal and soymeal are stable in terms of oxidative quality. The majority of soymeal consumed in Europe originates from South America, where soy farming is linked to several social and environmental challenges. H. illucens meal could be a local and sustainable alternative to fishmeal and soymeal. Oxidative stability of H. illucens meal could be attributed to the short supply chain and careful design of the thermal processing step. In case of H. illucens meal, thermal processing is effective enough to deactivate sn-1,3-lipase, while causing minimal damage to unsaturated triglycerides. H. illucens meal contain high levels of saturated fats and is thermally processed at mild conditions in comparison to fishmeal and soymeal. This may offer advantage to H. illucens meal in terms of fat oxidation quality.

Sustainable treatment of fecal matter is a long-standing challenge in sanitation, particularly in developing countries. Although recent developments have seen the evolution of innovative onsite sanitation technologies, the treatment of fecal waste collected still remains a daunting task. This study evaluated the effect of formulated feedstock: fecal matter from urine-diverting dry toilets and kitchen waste (1:0, 1:1, 2:1, 4:1, and 0:1) on waste weight reduction, Hermetia illucens’ larval weight gain, and crude protein content during co-digestion. Samples were collected after every 2 days for larval weight determination and protein content analysis using the Kjeldahl method of nitrogen determination. The waste reduction index (WRI) was determined after 50% pupation. The larvae grew on all substrates yielding 32.97–38.6% dry matter (DM) protein content and larval weight ranging from 1.12 to 1.70 g per five larvae. Results indicate that a 1:1 co-digestion ratio resulted in a high WRI (3.61), DM crude protein content (38.6%), and larval weight (1.70 g per five larvae). This study used the circular economy-based approach which provides a win–win situation to sanitation provision and environmental management while realizing products with potential for livelihood improvement. HIGHLIGHTS A system for simultaneous co-digestion of the urine-diverting dry toilet fecal matter and kitchen waste for animal feed protein ingredients was investigated.; Hermetia illucens’ larvae developed in all rearing substrates provided despite the substrates' elemental composition.; Co-digestion of fecal matter increased process performance of H. illucens’ larvae.; Co-digestion significantly increased larval protein content and weight.

Nowadays, climate change attribution and improper management of waste has a great attention. So, it's necessary to use best environmental practices (BEP) concept in the waste management especially organic type. The most affordable technology which belongs to biotechnology application is black soldier fly larvae (BSFL). So, the ability to use it as bio-recycling machine of fruit wastes, should be studied. Quantitatively colorimetric analyses of the harvested BSFL fed on fruit waste and were done with respect to control case in this study. The results revealed the significantly increase in biomolecules concentration especially free amino acids with +2.6 x-fold in the fruit waste input with respect to control input materials of BSF colony. Besides, the elevation levels of antioxidants enzymes. So that, these results emphasized the contribution of involving BSFL in converting non-valued input material into high valued products which have promising levels of antioxidants and essential biomolecules in an eco-friendly way. This research will be a willing step for getting the recognizing of investors, policy makers, and social entrepreneurs to achieve sustainability and circular economy concept through BSF technology.

At present, organic waste management by insects is being practiced to produce insect biomass to combat food deficiency challenges and reduce the huge amount of waste. Black soldier fly (BSF) larvae are used to reduce and reutilise organic wastes to decrease animal feeding costs. This study examined the conversion efficiency of olive pomace residue (OPR) by BSF larvae to produce insect biomass. Different concentrations of OPR (0, 25, 50, and 75% of the substrate) mixed with wheat bran were used as substrates for BSF larvae. Our findings demonstrate that the amount of lignin increased by 233% with 75% OPR treatment (39.5 ± 0.02%) as compared to the control treatment (11.9 ± 0.04%), which prolonged the development period of pupae (27 days). Pioneer goals were achieved by reducing 19% of 75% OPR and converting it to 22% insect biomass. Moreover, the conversion efficiency from 75% OPR to insect biomass was high and found to be 33% for protein, 79.76% for lauric acid, and 65.05% for palmitoleic acid (omega-7). Thus, the present study increased the awareness regarding safe reuse, and valorised OPR as a good substrate for the sustainable development of BSF larvae.

Black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), larvae are suspected to inhibit house flies, Musca domestica (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae), seeking oviposition sites. However, the mechanisms regulating these interactions are not well known. In this study, a Y-tube olfactometer was used to determine whether black soldier fly eggs, larvae, puparia (without pupae inside), adult carcasses, or resulting frass of black soldier fly decrease attractiveness of adult house flies to an oviposition substrate (i.e., sugar and wheat bran diet, used as the control). Secondly, two symbiotic bacteria associated were isolated, identified, and tested for house fly attractiveness with a Y-tube olfactometer. Thirdly, volatile organic compounds produced by swine feed before and after black soldier fly, or house fly larval digestion were analyzed with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Results indicate feed mixed with black soldier fly larval frass, and symbiotic bacteria, Paenalcaligenes sp. associated with black soldier fly, were less attractive to house flies than the control. However, another symbiotic bacterium Lysinibacillus sp. associated with black soldier fly pupae was attractive. In total, 52 volatile organic compounds were identified from treatments previously described. Quantitative differences in volatile profiles across treatments potentially explain the mechanism regulating house fly substrate choices in the presence, or absence, of black soldier fly larvae.

Larvae of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) has been widely applied as a biological agent for biodegradable wastes upcycling through bioconversion process. However, most of the biodegradable wastes produced from economic activities other than industrial is heterogenous. This may cause some physiological change which may alter the survivorship, growth, and efficiency of the bioconversion process. In this study, the substrate combination of macronutrients provided to black soldier fly larvae were observed to understand the larvae ability to degrade organic waste from economic activities. The substrat proportion consist of three major macronutrients (carbohydrate, protein, and lipid) and made of a mixture of decayed cabbage (Brassica oleracea) (source of carbohydrate), shark catfish (Pangasius sp.) (source of protein), and avocado (Persea americana) (source of lipid) which consisted of four types of substrate namely high fiber, high protein, high lipid, and balance. The feeding rate was 100 mg/larvae/day which provides every three days until 50% of larvae metamorphosed into prepupae. Mortality rate, the weight of larvae, and weight of residue (undigested substrate) were measured during substrate replacement and used to calculated survivorship rate, ECD (Efficiency of Conversion Digested-feed), AD (Approximate digestibility), and WRI (Waste Reduction Index). The proximate analysis also conducted on the harvested larvae biomass. The larvae group fed on high protein substrate showed best survivorship (64,75±2,60%), growth rate (2,97±0,166 mg/larvae/day), and AD (57,39±3,39) while the highest WRI recorded for larvae group fed on high fiber substrate and the highest ECD recorded for larvae group fed on high lipid substrate. The proximate analysis showed the best nutritional content of prepupae of larvae group fed on high protein substrate. It can be concluded that the proportion of macronutrients of substrate effect the growth and bioconversion performance of black soldier fly larvae. Some strategies related to the optimization of the bioconversion process for heterogeny substrate are discussed.Keywords: biodegradable wastes, black soldier fly, heterogeneity, growth, nutritional content, survivorship.

Ommochromes are screening and antioxidant pigments in the compound eyes of invertebrates and fulfil the functions of light filtration, light absorption, and antioxidant defense. We report here the first observation that ommochromes display antiglycation activity in vitro. Ommochromes were prepared from the eyes of insects of three different families: Strationyidae, Sphingidae, and Acrididae. All the ommochromes studied were found to inhibit the reaction forming fluorescent serum albumin modification products in the presence of high fructose concentrations (fructosylation). Ommochromes from the eyes of the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) were the most effective fructosylation inhibitors. Ommochromes oxidized with hydrogen peroxide produced no inhibitory action in relation to glycation. Our results are of interest both for understanding the biological role of ommochromes in invertebrates, in particular for clarifying their influence on oxidative modification of the proteins of the retinular and pigment cells of ommatidia, and for using them to create pharmacological agents for the treatment and prevention of pathology associated with the development of metabolic syndrome.

This study aimed to evaluate the in sacco nutrient degradability of total mixed ration (TMR) silage containing intact and defatted black soldier fly (BSF) larvae. The study evaluated four dietary treatments and six replications. The treatments consisted of control TMR silage without BSF larvae (R1), 20% intact BSF larvae + 80% TMR silage (R2), 20% chemically defatted BSF larvae + 80% TMR silage (R3), and 20% mechanically defatted BSF larvae + 80% TMR silage (R4). Samples were placed in polyester bags and incubated in the rumen in sacco up to 72 h. Nutrient degradability was evaluated for each time point interval. Results revealed that the lowest dry matter degradability (DMD) was found in R1 compared to all treatments (p < 0.05), while the highest DMD was found in R2 (p < 0.05). The highest organic matter degradability was found in R2 compared to R1, R3 and R4 (p < 0.05). Addition of BSF larvae to TMR silage increased the crude protein degradability (p < 0.05). In conclusion, inclusion of both intact and defatted BSF larvae into TMR silage did not have any adverse effects on nutrient profiles and showed a good nutrient degradation values in the rumen.

Aim: To determine the variability of black soldier fly larvae treatment in comparison to different sources of substrates with an emphasis on protein and carbohydrate with regards to black soldier fly larvae growth and the physico-chemical characteristics of the final compost. Methodology: The study comprised of an experimental setup, sample preparation of synthetic food waste (protein and carbohydrate source), physico-chemical and nutrients laboratory test and analysis of data. Results: The results showed that larvae that compost protein food sources are likely to be bigger than larvae that compost carbohydrate food sources. From the laboratory results, the amount of potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and C/N ratio content of protein source compost were 266.1 µg g-1, 204.3 µg g-1, 28.6 µg g-1 and 0.51 µg g-1 respectively. Whereas, the physico-chemical results for the carbohydrate source compost were 55.1 µg g-1, 20.5 µg g-1, 2.3 µg g-1 and 3.33 µg g-1 respectively. Interpretation: Black soldier fly larvae prefer to accumulate protein food residues rather than carbohydrate food residues, thus emphasizing that protein content is vital for their growth. The increase in potassium, phosphorus and magnesium for black soldier fly larvae yield compost can potentially produce organic solid fertilizer for farming and agricultural industries. The unfavourable nutrients from food waste is considered to be a significant factor that can affect the development, production and efficiency of life stage of composting black soldier fly larvae.

The effects of replacing fish meal protein with different levels of black soldier fly (BSF) larvae meal (Hermetia illucens) in Thai climbing perch (Anabas testudineus) diets were assessed. Five iso...

The black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens L.) is a potential substitute of fish meal in feeds. However, information on the nutrition and safety of these feeds is inadequate. This study examined the ...

Background and Objective: The adult female of the Black Soldier Fly (BSF) usually performs oviposition near decaying organic matter in cracks found in dry areas. In mass-rearing facilities or on a laboratory scale, females usually lay eggs on the provided ovitrap which is made of various types of materials. This study was aimed to observe the female preferential behaviour for ovitrap types during the oviposition period. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in a semi-outdoor screen house with direct sunlight. The ovitrap materials used were: Dry leaves, wood, cardboard and plastic (infraboard). The parameters calculated in this study were ovitrap preference, oviposition duration, the number and weight of the eggs, fertility of eggs, development time and mortality of offspring. Results: The BSF females preferred the wood ovitrap to other ovitrap types. This was indicated by the high number of females visits, the number of egg-laying females and the total number of eggs on the wood ovitrap. Eggs found in the plastic ovitrap had the highest mortality compared to eggs found in the other ovitraps. Conclusion: The difference of ovitrap material affected female visitation preferences, the oviposition frequency and the duration of egg-laying of female BSF but did not affect offspring development time in any of the stages (egg-adults).

The black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (Linnaeus, 1758) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) is a polysaprophagous species originating from the Nearctic, that has been introduced to various countries throughout the world over the past decades. Even though, the fly has been recorded in several parts of the Mediterranean region and southern Africa, to this day its presence from northern Africa is only known from Morocco. The current study provides the first record of the black soldier fly from Algeria, based on photographic material and supplementing data which were extracted from citizen science observations. The provided material depicts the range expansion of the species throughout the coastal area of the country and provides new insight on the current distribution of the insect in the Mediterranean region, as well as in the continent of Africa. In addition, hypotheses on the possible introduction routes of the black soldier fly in the southwestern Mediterranean region are briefly discussed

The number of intensive livestock and poultry farms is expected to increase substantially in future because of consumer demand. Unfortunately, such demand also results in a great deal of manure being generated, which threatens the environment if it is not properly managed. Concurrent developments in biotransformation of these wastes with the black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomydiae), demonstrates such concerns can be abated, while also producing products (e.g., protein, chitin, biodiesel, and fertilizer) of value. In this review, we analyzed the factors influencing black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) conversion processes, the role of microorganisms, and the mechanisms used by BSFL when converting livestock and poultry manure into these valuable products. The effects of BSFL conversion technology on reducing the hazards of such materials and their associated pathogens are reviewed, and the economics of livestock and poultry manure conversion by BSF larvae is discussed.

The black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) (Hermetia illucens) are a good candidate for poultry and livestock manure treatment. The harvested insect bodies and feces can be used as animal feed and organic fertilizer. However, heavy metals have a negative impact on the transformation process of the manure by BSFL. Here we evaluated the effects of Cd, Cr and As in pig manure on the growth of BSFL, as well as the mobility and changes in speciation of the metals during the transformation process. The results showed that As significantly reduced the weight of BSFL, but Cr and Cd had no significant effects on BSFL growth. The bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) at various concentrations of Cd (2.8–3.7) were significantly higher than those of Cr (0.44–0.62) and As (0.43–0.45). The heavy metals in pig manure were mainly transferred to BSFL feces, and the distribution percentages of Cd, Cr and As in the BSFL feces were 52.6–62.0%, 90.3–94.2% and 93.0–93.3%, respectively. Cd concentrations in BSFL feces were significantly lower than those in the pig manure, while there were no significant differences in the concentrations of Cr and As between BSFL feces and pig manure (except for the treatment with the addition of 150 mg Cr kg−1). The metal speciation (weak acid soluble, reducible, oxidizable and residual fractions) in BSFL feces obviously changed when compared with pig manure. In BSFL feces, the reducible proportion of Cr decreased while the oxidizable proportion increased. Cd mainly existed in the weak acid soluble and reducible states in pig manure and BSFL feces. For As, the proportions of weak acid soluble and reducible states decreased in BSFL feces. After the BSFL transformation process, the bioavailable fraction of Cr decreased by 17.3–23.1%, but those of Cd and As did not change significantly, except for As in the CK group. These findings contribute to our understanding of the roles of BSFL during the biotransformation process of livestock manure as well as the safe utilization of transformed products.

Substrate moisture content is an important but not well-understood variable in production and waste reduction processes that involves black soldier fly (BSF) larvae. The purpose of this paper is to characterise growth and metabolic performance of BSF larvae on substrate moisture contents from 45 to 85%. Larvae developed into prepupae only at 45–75% substrate moisture content. Within this interval, the maximal specific growth rate was highest (0.73 day−1), the growth period shortest (13 days), and the maximal dry weight lowest (88 mg) at 45% moisture content. Differences in cost of growth and maintenance were not observed at the different substrate moisture contents, and differences in larval performance were likely associated to differences in co-occurring microbial activities. As much as 22% of the substrate carbon was emitted as CO2 at 45% moisture content by microorganisms, measured as the difference between total respiration and larval respiration, whereas microbial CO2 production amounted to only 3% of the substrate carbon at 75% moisture content. As consequence of the high specific growth rate and short growth phase, the overall net growth efficiency was higher at 45% moisture content (0.62) than at 75% moisture content (0.52). Overall, the metabolic performance of the BSF larvae was insensitive to differences in substrate moisture content. Their performance was, however indirectly affected by the substrate moisture content due to differences in co-occurring microbial processes in the substrate.

Black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens), an insect known for feeding on waste biomass and converting it into useful nutrients such as proteins, lipids, and chitin, has been reared on insect farms on ...

Here, we developed an efficient strategy for the production of lauric acid-enriched monoacylglycerol (MAG) via enzymatic glycerolysis using black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae (BSFL) oil. The effects of the substrate molar ratio, reaction temperature, type of immobilized lipase, and organic solvent on the MAG content and conversion degree of BSFL oil were optimized. The maximum substrate conversion rate (97.88%) and MAG content (70.84%) were obtained in a tert-butanol system at 50 °C with a glycerol/BSFL oil molar ratio of 4:1 by using immobilized MAS1 lipase as a catalyst. The MAG content in the purified product reached 97.7%, with lauric acid accounting for 50.2%. Improved oxidation stability was observed after glycerolysis. Overall, this study provides a new strategy for the preparation of lauric acid-enriched MAG from BSFL oil.

The production of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae (BSFL) is rapidly becoming a new method to convert food waste into a sustainable ingredient in terrestrial and aquatic nutrition while the by-product, called ‘frass’, can be used as a soil amendment. The growth and nutritional quality of BSFL and their frass is greatly influenced by the provided substrates. In this study, fruits, vegetables, starches and in their combination (mixture) were provided to BSFL for two weeks and afterwards their final weight and nutritional composition of the BSFL and frass were measured. The starch treatment produced significantly heavier BSFL compared to those in the fruit treatment. However, BSFL produced from starch had the lowest amino acid levels. The BSFL produced from vegetables had significantly higher crude protein and essential amino acids compared to all substrates, with the exception of histidine. Frass produced from vegetables had significantly higher nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium values compared to all others, with the exception of nitrogen in the starch and mixture treatment. This study showed that the use of vegetables produced BSFL and frass comparable to soybean meal and many organic fertilisers, respectively, and these could be valuable and sustainable resources for the agricultural industry.

Molecular identification and life cycle of the Black Soldier Fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens were carried out from the Bangladesh bio-geographical area. The sequencing result and phylogenetic analysis of BSF showed 99-100% similarity with H. illucens from GenBank. The average duration of life cycle of male and female were 45.08±4.46d and 46.15± 4.12d respectively. The adult female is 16.3±0.91mm long, whereas the adult male is 14.30±0.19 mm long and smaller than female. The number of eggs per clutch was 537.37±40.21 which hatched in 4.36±0.24 days. The mean duration of the developmental stages were 16.07±2.59, 15.4±2.50, 9.95±1.48 and 10.33±1.89 d for larva, pupa, male and female respectively, when cultured at 29.40±1.77° C, RH 68.25±2.32 %, 14:10 (L: D) photoperiod. The mature larval weight (0.20±0.03 g) was highest among other developmental stages. Bangladesh J. Zool. 48(2): 429-440, 2020