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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.

Organic waste produced by economic activities may create health, aesthetic, and economic problems. One of the approaches applied to solve this problem is the utilization of decomposer macrofauna to decompose the waste. One of the decomposers with great potential is Black Soldier Fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) that can consume various types of organic wastes and converts it into biomass with high protein and lipid content. In this study, banana peels and coconut testa had been fed to the larvae at 200 mg/larvae/day as the objects that represented organic wastes with low fiber content and high fiber content respectively. The purpose of this study was to observe the growth and efficiency of BSF larvae in decomposing those wastes. The analysis was conducted on some parameters such as the growth and consumption rate, the efficiency of conversion of digested (ECD), waste reduction index, and mortality rate. The results showed that BSF larvae THAT consumed banana peel had a higher final weight (58.24 mg), growth rate, and consumption rate while the mortality rate was lower than BSF larvae that consumed coconut testa. The ECD of the larvae group that consumed banana peel was higher than the larvae group that consumed coconut testa. The waste reduction index of banana peel was higher than coconut testa (1.5 and 1.4, respectively). The larvae that consumed coconut testa had a longer pupation period (9±1,75 days) compared to the larvae that consumed banana peel. Based on this result, it can be concluded that the fiber content of organic waste affected the decomposition rate and growth of BSF larvae.

Agricultural wastes had been considered as one of the major sources of environmental as most of the waste consist of organic wastes which produces a significant amount of greenhouse gases when decompose. Some studies showed the benefit of these wastes as a material for insect farming, such as larva of black soldier flies (Hermetia illucens), to produce a protein and lipid-rich biomass for various types of bioindustries. However, other studies showed that most of the organic agricultural wastes originated from local farms, contaminated with insecticides. This condition caused a major concern on the health of the larvae during farming as the information on the effect of insecticide on black soldier fly larvae is considered rare. In this study, we tested the toxicity of some common synthetic and organic insecticides, applied in the local farming system, to black soldier fly larvae. Two types of synthetic insecticides (active ingredient endosulfan and profenofos) and one type of organic insecticide (a microbial insecticide with active ingredient 5-endotoxin) were mixed with commercial chicken feed which used as feeding material for the 10 days-old larvae. A total number of 120 larvae were used in this study and the mortality rate was observed for 72 hours. The result of this study showed LC50 of endosulfan was recorded at 236.25 ppm, profenofos at 380.62 ppm, and 5-endotoxin at more than 7600 ppm. All of this value significantly higher than insecticide residual limit regulation and reports on the level of insecticide residual level of common local agricultural products. Based on this study, it can be concluded that common organic agricultural wastes are applicable to be used as feeding material of black soldier fly larvae directly although further studies are needed regarding the safety of the final product of insect farming.

Organic wastes are one of the major problems in many cities. A common treatment for the wastes usually by sanitary landfill, composting, or burning. However, many cities of developing countries lack the effort to collect, separate, and transform organic waste lead to an increasing pile of organic wastes and the cost of treatment. Bioconversion of organic wastes by larvae of black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) (Hermetia illucens) into versatile prepupae could be considered as a solution for this problem as this process give economic value to organic wastes. Studies in Indonesia showed the high potency of this insect to apply for managing organic wastes. However, most of the studies only focused on one type of wastes which is only available from standardizing industrial systems, not municipal systems, and small industries which are the main organic producers in Indonesia. In this study, BSFL was fed only one type of organic wastes showed a shorter development period. Changes in feedstock quality from low protein to high protein material generally produced lower survival rates and weight with a longer development period. The result indicated the importance of the nutrition content early period feedstock to produce high-quality larvae and more sustainable organic waste management.

Insect larvae, such as black soldier fly larvae (BSFL: Hermetia illucens) are currently being considered as an alternative source of protein for poultry and aquaculture industry while in the same time apply as agent to manage organic wastes. In order to achieve both roles it is necessary to develop an appropriate farming methodology and understand the impact of different feeding source for the insect production. The study explored the effect of three local plant based organic wastes as feedstocks to growth of the black soldier fly larvae. Separate feeding trials on horse manure (HM), vegetable wastes (VW), and tofu dreg (TD) was done and their effect on BSF larvae growth rate, larvae weight and total prepupal yield in grams content analysed. The efficiency of the BSF larvae to consume and ability to reduce the waste load of the different substrates was also evaluated. The result showed all materials suitable as feeding material for black soldier fly. Difference on physical properties and chemical content affected the development time, harvested biomass, efficiency of digestivity, and efficiency of biomass production which is unique for each type of waste. This study provide base line information for future development of plant based organic waste management.

Black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens is one organism that widely used to reduce organic wastes through bioconversion process by employing the ability of larvae to consume various types of organic waste. This process changes organic waste into larvae and prepupae biomass which was developed in order to provide an alternative protein source for animal feedstock. In this study, the effect of four experimental diets was analyzed, namely horse manure, a mixture of horse manure and vegetable waste, sheep manure and a mixture of sheep manure and vegetable waste. Newly hatched larvae were inoculated on experimental diets. The sample of 20 larvae from 5 replicates were measured and weighed until pupae stage. Nutrient content of prepupae reared on experimental diet were analyzed proximately. The effects of diet on development time, growth of the larval stages, mortality, fecundity and nutritional composition of black soldier fly were studied. Results indicate that a mixture of horse manure and vegetable waste diet was the best of the four diets in terms of the shorter of development time, the lowest of percentage mortality, the highest of fecundity and the better of nutritional content. In conclusion, both of morphological development and the nutritional ingredient of black soldier fly were highly determined by the used growing substrates and food ingested. Addition of vegetable waste can improve growth performance and nutritional content of black soldier fly when reared on horse and sheep manure.