Body weight loss of black soldier fly Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) during development in non-feeding stages: Implications for egg clutch parameters

Tudor Papuc,Anca Boaru,Danut Struti,Bogdan Georgescu,Daniela Ladosi

doi:10.14411/eje.2020.023

Abstract

The developmental stages of the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens, are widely studied because there are several ways in which this species can be utilized. In this context, the aim of the current study is to determine the loss of weight of larvae of different weights between the prepupal and reproductive adult stages and their effect on the egg clutch quality parameters. The Hermetia illucens prepupae were categorized in 3 body weight classes. The weight loss was evaluated by weighing individuals in the prepupal, pupal and adult stages. The weight and length of the individuals were positively correlated in the pupal stage and adult females. There were significant losses of weight (P = 0.000) in the prepupal, pupal and adult stages in all three weight classes. In each weight class the relationship between weights was significant (P = 0.000) for all development stages. The results clearly indicate that the largest larvae of Hermetia illucens produced the adults with the best clutch quality parameters and the existence of significant positive correlations between body weight and both weight loss and the egg clutch quality parameters.

Highlights

Hermetia illucens L. (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) is a species of fly used as a sustainable alternative for managing organic (Čičková et al, 2015; Pastor et al, 2015; Cheng et al, 2017) or municipal waste (Diener et al, 2011)
The results clearly indicate that the largest larvae of Hermetia illucens produced the adults with the best clutch quality parameters and the existence of significant positive correlations between body weight and both weight loss and the egg clutch quality parameters
The weight losses recorded are significant in each stage of the biological cycle of the H. illucens and have significant effects on egg clutch weight and numbers of eggs per clutch

Summary

Introduction

Hermetia illucens L. (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) is a species of fly used as a sustainable alternative for managing organic (Čičková et al, 2015; Pastor et al, 2015; Cheng et al, 2017) or municipal waste (Diener et al, 2011). (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) is a species of fly used as a sustainable alternative for managing organic (Čičková et al, 2015; Pastor et al, 2015; Cheng et al, 2017) or municipal waste (Diener et al, 2011). Because of its ability to digest organic matter from different sources, like kitchen waste (Nguyen et al, 2015; Pastor et al, 2015; Salomone et al, 2017), sewage sludge (Lalander et al, 2013; Cai et al, 2017), human faeces (Banks et al, 2014), vegetable waste (Parra Paz et al, 2015) and manure (Myers et al, 2008; Oonincx et al, 2015) it can efficiently reduce the volume of organic matter and produce a valuable fertilizer for agriculture (Choi et al, 2009; Sarpong et al, 2019). Hermetia illucens larvae are used as an alternative high protein source for incorporating in feed for farm animals, such as poultry (Kawasaki et al, 2019), swine (Yu et al, 2019), rabbits (Martins et al, 2018; Gasco et al, 2019) and especially aquaculture (St-Hilaire et al, 2007; Cummins et al, 2017; Bava et al, 2019). The nutritional value of the larvae, is directly dependent on their feeding medium (Spranghers et al, 2016; Meneguz et al, 2018; Danieli et al, 2019)

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