Evaluation of Black Soldier Fly Hermetia illucens as Food for Pink-Spotted Lady Beetle Coleomegilla maculata.

Simple Summary: The discovery of new and improved diets is necessary to mass rear predators of high quality to support the biological control of plant pests on crop plants. This study evaluated the black soldier fly (BSF) as an alternative food source for mass rearing of the pink-spotted lady beetle, which is a predator of aphids. The hypothesis that BSF larval powder supported the growth, development, and reproduction of the predator was tested in the laboratory. When compared to a standard in-house diet containing brine shrimp egg powder plus algae and myristic acid (BSE+CM), the BSF diet reduced immature growth and development. Immatures successfully reared to adults were smaller when reared on BSF or BSF+CM. Combining BSF with an artificial diet (AD) in a 50:50% ratio (i.e., BSF+AD) did not improve predator growth or development. Predator oviposition responses to BSF versus BSE+CM or BSF+AD versus BSE+CM did not differ significantly. In conclusion, BSF has the potential to be food that supports predator oviposition behavior. The discovery of new and improved factitious and artificial diets is necessary for cost-effective rearing of predatory arthropods. This study evaluated Hermetia illucens black soldier fly (BSF) as a suitable alternative food source for rearing the predatory coccinellid Coleomegilla maculata (Cmac). The hypothesis that BSF larval powder was suitable food to support the growth, development, and reproduction of Cmac was tested in the laboratory. When compared to a standard in-house diet containing brine shrimp egg powder plus Chlorella vulgaris green algae and myristic acid (BSE+CM), the BSF and BSF+CM diets reduced immature growth and development. Immatures successfully reared to teneral adults were smaller when fed BSF or BSF+CM rather than BSE+CM. Combining BSF with a powdered artificial diet (AD), i.e., BSF+AD, did not improve predator growth or development, compared to Cmac reared on BSE+CM. Cmac oviposition responses, i.e., egg clutch production, to BSF vs. BSE+CM or BSF+AD vs. BSE+CM did not differ significantly. In conclusion, BSF has the potential to be food that supports Cmac oviposition behavior. Future research is necessary to discover an ideal mixture of BSF, BSE+CM, or AD that supports Cmac growth, development, and reproduction over multiple generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]