Particularities of the Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) Ovipositing Behavior: Practical Applications

Abstract

The industrial rearing of Hermetia illucens offers sustainable solutions to the acute challenges of modern society associated with the accumulation of increasing amounts of organic waste, the substantial reduction of natural ocean fish stocks, and the imminent food crisis. Detailed knowledge of the reproductive particularities and reproductive behavior of the species is essential for increasing the efficiency of the breeding technology. This study aimed to identify the affinity shown by females regarding the size of the oviposition slots (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 mm), the vertical distribution of the ovipositing rate, and the influence of the substrate’s moisture on ovipositing behavior (dry matter/water: 1:0.5; 1:1; 1:1.5; 1:2). Over 90% of females oviposited in the 1-, 2- and 3-mm slots, with most of the eggs (58.57%) being oviposited in the 1-mm slots. There was a positive correlation between the size of the oviposition slots and the average weight of the clutches (r = 0.985). The vertical distribution of ovipositing followed a fluctuating trend, with a tendency to oviposit closer to the attractive substrate. The females avoided ovipositing close to substrates with low humidity (1:0.5); indeed, only 6.8% oviposited under these conditions, the differences being significant compared to substrates with higher humidity (p < 0.001). The vast majority of females (43.2%) oviposited on substrates with an average humidity of 1:1 (p < 0.001). These results provide new insights into the ovipositing behavior of H. illucens, which allow for a differentiated harvest of large-sized clutches, providing practical applications with significant impact on the economic efficiency of the species’ industrial growth technology.

Avances en el estudio de la modificación del contenido de ácidos grasos en las larvas de Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) para la producción de biodiésel a través de cambios bioquímicos en la fuente de alimentación

“…Existen diversas condiciones ambientales de importancia para la cría de H. illucens y cuya comprensión es crucial para su reproducción masiva (Gligorescu et al, 2022;Kaczor, Bulak, Proc-Pietrycha, Kirichenko-Babko & Bieganowski, 2022). Diversos autores experimentaron con estas condiciones en el laboratorio para conocer las variables que influyen en el insecto en cada estadio de su desarrollo: huevo, larva, pupa y adulto, entre ellas el fotoperiodo, temperatura, humedad y la densidad de población (Bogdan et al, 2022;Yakti et al, 2022a).…”