Micronutrient supplementation impact the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens, (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) development and production

Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), the black soldier fly, is a major species of interest within the insects as feed industry due to the ability of its larvae to convert organic side streams into protein which can then be used as an ingredient within the aquaculture, poultry, swine, and pet food industries. Waste streams being used as feedstock for these larvae can have extreme variability when it comes to the nutritional composition, especially down to the amino acid level. This study was designed to determine the impact of supplemental amino acids on life-history traits of black soldier fly larvae using the standard Gainesville diet. Within this study, each of the ten essential amino acids (EAA) were supplemented at double and triple rates of what is naturally found within the standard Gainesville diet. Diets were placed in 50mL Falcon tubes with 20 neonate larvae, each having four replicate tubes and examined during the initial 50% of the larval-feeding stage based on accumulated degree hour calculations. Larval survivorship, morphometrics (e.g., length, width), weight, and feed conversion ratios were analyzed. Results indicate essential amino acid concentrations impacts life-history traits of larval black soldier flies. Initial results show lysine, methionine and threonine supplementation have the most promise, and can possibly increase larval weight up to 100% at this younger life stage, while not impacting survivorship. Data generated from this work could allow for such interactions to be identified and thus applied in the future to avoid pitfalls with varying organic side streams.