• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.713-717
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary Hermetia illucens powder on duck litter quality. One hundred twenty Pekin ducks (0 day old) were assigned to 2 groups (0% and 0.5% Hermetia illucens powder) with 3 replicates (20 ducks per replicate) for 42 days. Duck litter quality included moisture, pH, VBN, total nitrogen, ammonia, and temperature. Litter pH and VBN values were significantly affected by Hermetia illucens powder (p<0.05). However, moisture and total nitrogen values were not greatly influenced by the addition of 0.5% Hermetia illucens powder (p>0.05). At 21, 28 and 35 days, both 0.5% Hermetia illucens powder and controls had a great effect (p<0.05) on ammonia contents, except at 7, 14 and 42 days. In comparison to control, ammonia contents in groups with 0.5% Hermetia illucens powder were reduced from 16.9 to 41.8% as the days increased. Duck litter showed lower temperature by 0.5% Hermetia illucens powder compare to control. In terms of environmental managements, these results suggest that using 0.5% Hermetia illucens powder as feed additives improved litter quality and decreased ammonia contents.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.221-232
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• 2023

This study investigated the antioxidant effect of Hermetia illucens larvae using different extraction temperatures and solvents. We found significant differences in total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), an in three antioxidant indexes 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 1,1'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS), and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) contents, among the samples depending on the extraction temperature and solvent used. The sample extracted with water at 45℃ (HIW-45℃) showed the highest TPC, DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP contents, while the sample extracted with water at 90℃ (HIW-90℃) showed the highest TFC. These differences can be due to the different chemical structures of the extracted components. Based on these results, HIW-45℃ was the optimal extraction method for Hermetia illucens. We intend to further investigate the availability of functional materials for Hermetia illucens using this method.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.1305-1307
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• 2018

We investigate the effects of the immune function (HI titer) in broilers fed diets containing Hermetia illucens (H. illucens) peptide extract over a 40-day period. Twenty-four broiler chicks (Arbor Acres, 1 d old) were divided into four groups and fed different diets (control, 0.1%, 0.5%, and 1% H. illucens peptide extract). To evaluate HI titer, all broilers were vaccinated with H9H2 vaccine subcutaneously on the lateral thorax, according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Similar HI titer was observed with 1% H. illucens peptide extract treatment compared to the control after 40 days (p>0.01). Groups fed 0.5% H. illucens peptide extract demonstrated the most effective immune effects (p<0.01), followed by groups fed 0.1% H. illucens peptide extract. In conclusion, using 0.1% or 0.5% H. illucens peptide extract before or after vaccination improved HI titer immune function in broilers.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.1299-1303
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• 2018

This study was conducted to evaluate the growth performance of broilers fed different levels of Hermetia illucens powder. A total of 400 broiler chicks (1-day old Arbor Acres) were fed commercial diets containing H. illucens powder at 0%, 0.1%, 0.5%, and 1% with four replicates (25 chicks per replicate), for 35 days. Weight gain in broilers fed diets containing different levels of H. illucens powder increased significantly at 28 and 35 days, compared with that of the control (p<0.05). However, feed intake and mortality showed no differences among the treatments as a function of time. At 21, 28, and 35 days, broilers fed different levels of H. illucens powder had lower feed conversion rates (p<0.05) than their counterparts fed the control diet. In conclusion, 0.5% H. illucens powder is the optimal level for improved weight gain and feed conversion.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.584-590
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• 2018

The adults of Hermetia illucens collected in Korea were about the same size as those from their origin. The body part with the largest size variation was the antenna 2 followed by the head width and the abdomen width. It can be the baseline of selection of superior individuals for organic waste decomposition and compost production. In regards to the habitat, the adult Hermetia illucens were collected from 22 of the 51 localities. Although geographical characteristics such as coordinates and altitude may not affect the insects, the presence of organic matters could affect them. The distribution pattern of the insects may act as an indicator of natural recycling of organic wastes.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.32 no.9
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• pp.671-674
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• 2023

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of using Hermetia illucens larvae as environmental purification insects on ammonia and Hanwoo manure for 15 days in the Hanwoo farms. H.illucens larvae were allocated into four treatment groups and three replicates using a randomized block design. The treatments were as follows: control, normal 1000 g of Hanwoo manure, T1, 1000 g of Hanwoo manure + 100 g of 2nd instar H.illucens L. larvae, T2, 1000 g of Hanwoo manure + 100 g of 3rd instar H.illucens L. larvae, and T3, 1000 g of Hanwoo manure + 100 g of 4th instar H.illucens L. larvae. After 0 days, ammonia fluxes did not occur in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th instar H.illucens larvae treatments (p<0.05). Among the characteristics of Hanwoo manure, the pH and nitrogen content increased for each larvae instar of H.illucens, whereas ADF and NDF content decreased (p<0.05). In particular, nitrogen contents were found to be highest in the 3rd instar larvae of H.illucens owing to their greater ability to decompose Hanwoo manure than larvae at other growth stages.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.709-712
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• 2019

The effect of insect feed powder on the growth performance and economic evaluation of ducks was investigated. One hundred and twenty-old Pekin ducks were randomly assigned to two dietary treatments (0% and 1% Hermetia illucens powder) with three replicates of 20 birds each for 14-42 d. No significant (p>0.05) difference in growth performance between the control and 1% H. illucens powder was observed, except the feed conversion ratio (p<0.05), for the experimental period. The treatments with 1% H. illucens powder improved the economic indicators in comparison with the controls. Therefore, a diet supplemented with 1% H. illucens powder could significantly improve the feed conversion ratios and increase the economic indicators.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.96-100
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• 2021

The era of mass production of agricultural and dairy systems inevitably causes a huge amount of biowastes during their processes. Modern consumption patterns of the general public also contribute to biowaste formation. Thus, processing biowastes has attracted much attention. The introduced black soldier fly (BSF) (Hermetia illucens) is considered as one of environmentally friendly management options for solving biowaste issues. However, an indigenous species, Ptecticus tenebrifer, is also a powerful decomposer that has been largely neglected. This species can be easily found on biowastes such as manure dump, agricultural wastes, and human food wastes. It can be also easily found in the field. It is even attracted to a food trap. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first ecological study on this species.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.45-53
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• 2020

Background: The black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) is gaining attention as an efficient decomposer of food waste. However, recalcitrant compounds such as plastics mixed into food waste may have negative effects on its growth and survival. Moreover, its efficiency of food waste degradation may also be affected by plastics. In addition, salt (NaCl) can also be present in high concentrations, which also reduces the efficiency of H. illucens-mediated food waste treatment. In this study, we assessed the growth of black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) reared on food waste containing polyethylene (PE) and polystyrene (PS) and NaCl. The weight of BSFL was measured every 2-4 days. Survival and substrate reduction rates and pupation ratio were determined at the end of the experiment. Results: The total larval weight of Hermetia illucens reared on food waste containing PS was greater than that of the control on days 20 and 24. However, the survival rate was lower in the group treated with 5% PS, as was substrate reduction in all PS-treated groups. The weight of BSFL reared on food waste containing PE was lower than that of the control on day 6. PE in food waste did not affect the survival rate, but the pupation ratio increased and substrate consumption decreased with increasing PE concentrations. Regardless of the plastic type, the addition of NaCl resulted in decreased larval weight and pupation ratio. Conclusions: Larval growth of black soldier fly was inhibited not by plastics but by substrate salinity. Additional safety assessments of larvae reared on food waste containing impurities are needed to enable wider application of BSFL in vermicomposting.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.12
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• pp.1409-1414
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• 2016

In the larvae of the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens, innate immunity mechanisms are activated in response to various pathogens and stimulants, resulting in the expression of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). To induce the mass production of AMPs, H. illucens fifth instar larvae were immunized with five different kinds of bacteria. We isolated from the hemolymph of the H. illucens larvae after bacterial challenge, and their antimicrobial activities against Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli) were measured using the inhibition zone assay. Among these five different kinds of bacteria, the hemolymph of Bacillus subtilis-challenged H. illucens larvae showed the strongest antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive bacteria and Gram-negative bacteria. The antimicrobial activity of the hemolymph of $1{\times}10^9cfu/ml$ B. subtilis-challenged H. illucens peaks at 24 hr at 48 hr post-infection and gradually declines with time. Moreover, the immunized hemolymph also showed strong antimicrobial activity against various poultry pathogens such as S. enteritidis, S. typhimurium, and S. pullorum. These results suggest that the expression of AMP genes in B. subtilis-challenged H. illucens is up-regulated by innate immune responses, and that B. subtilis-challenged H. illucens overexpressing AMPs may be useful as a feed additive in livestock diets to reduce the need for antibiotics.