• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.861-869
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• 2023

This study aimed to evaluate the effectivity of full-fat black soldier fly Hermetia illucens (BSF) and defatted mealworm Tenebrio molitor (MW) larvae meal as a fish meal (FM) substitute in a low-fish meal (LFM) diet for juvenile olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus. The LFM diet comprising 45% FM with tankage meal, poultry byproduct meal, soy protein concentrate and wheat gluten was the control diet. Three experimental diets were 10% FM in Con with BSF, MW and a mixture of both at the same ratio (designated as B10, M10 and B5M5, respectively). Four hundred and forty-fourth juvenile P. olivaceus (34.3±0.1 g) were randomly distributed into 12 tanks (425 L) in three replicate groups per treatment and fed the experimental diets for 15 weeks. At the end of the feeding trial, growth performance, survival, biological indices (condition factor, viscerosomatic index, hepatosomatic index), non-specific immune responses (lysozyme, myeloperoxidase) and intestinal histology (villi length and goblet cells) were not significantly affected by treatments. Feed utilization was significantly decreased in M10 compared to the control group. Alanine aminotransferase level was significantly higher in M10 than in the control group. Glucose level was significantly lower in B10 than in the control group. These results suggest that BSF and MW can be used as FM substitutes. However, considering feed conversion ratio and AST level, MW availability is thought to be lower than that of BSF, and feeding fish with a diet containing MW for an extended period is thought to adversely affect fish growth.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.66 no.5
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• pp.1034-1048
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• 2024

The use of insects as a food source is not a new idea, but it has gained momentum in recent years due to the need for sustainable protein source in livestock feedstuffs and for more environmentally friendly organic waste treatment. In the case of black soldier fly larvae, Hermetia illucens, research has focused on their ability to convert organic waste into usable nutrients and their potential as a protein source for animal and human consumption. In this study, black soldier fly larvae were reared on raw food waste (FW) mixed with garlic peel waste (G) and hydronic growth media waste (H) and the proximate composition and bioactive potential of black soldier fly larvae extract (SFL) were compared. Analysis showed that protein content of SFL fed with G was 4.21% higher and lipid content was 9.93% lower than FW. Similar results were obtained for SFL fed with H. Antioxidant activity of SFL-G was higher than that of SFL-FW and SFL-H. SFL-G treatment exhibited enhanced anti-inflammatory and anti-adipogenesis activities as well compared to SFL-FW. Current results suggested that feeding black soldier fly larvae with food waste added with garlic peel and hydroponic growth media waste resulted in increased nutritional value, polyphenol content and bioactivity for SFLs. In this context, garlic peel waste-added food waste was suggested a promising substrate for black soldier fly larvae to obtain high-quality protein source with enhanced antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-adipogenic potential.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.227-237
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• 2013

The black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens, is a generalist detritivore that is usually exploited for recycling environmental wastes, including food remnants. These insects can also be used to produce antibiotics for medical applications. For this purpose, flies need to be mass-reared using an automatic rearing system that generates various sounds. Insects use sound as a means of communication for mating or warning against predators. Thus, extrinsic sounds may interrupt the normal physiological processes of insects. In this study, we analyzed the physiological changes due to various sound treatments at $25^{\circ}C$ and 8:16 h (L:D) photoperiod. At 95 dB, larvae were exposed to different sound frequencies (0-5,000 Hz). The treated larvae were adversely affected by the high-frequency sounds and showed significant reduction in pupation and adult emergence. Different sound intensities (0-105 dB) at 5,000 Hz caused significant changes in the pupation and survival of the adults at 85 dB or above. Under a stress sound condition (5,000 Hz, 95 dB), the BSF larvae exhibited aberrations in the expression of genes related to the immune system and digestion. These results indicate that high-frequency sound treatments at or above 85 dB act as a stress sound to BSF development.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.142-146
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to determine the possibility of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) as a animal feedstuff. Insect resources have been widely recognized that it exhibits its own biological activity by whole body or its metabolic intermediates. To accomplish this, its general and biological activities were measured. The present study was conducted to compare antioxidant activity of black soldier fly larva, pupa and grasshopper by examining radical scavenging activity using DPPH (2,2 diphenyl 1-picryl hydrazyl). DPPH radical scavenging activity was conducted on the EtOH, MeOH, H2O fractions of black soldier fly larvae. Results showed that black soldier fly pupa on the H2O fraction contained the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity among the samples. FRAP assay are more suitable methods to evaluate antioxidant activity of black soldier fly extracts. Among the samples, the FRAP value showed higher antioxidant activity in the extracts from black soldier fly pupa extract on H2O fraction. These results suggest that black soldier fly larva and pupa extract has antioxidant activity and its fractions can be utilized to develop functional feedstuff.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.15-26
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• 2014

The black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens, larvae may depend on indigenous bacteria in the intestine to feed and digest diverse food sources. To prove this hypothesis, we isolated and identified the intestinal bacteria of the black soldier fly for their digestive and antimicrobial abilities. The last instar larvae had long digestive tracts, which were about seven times longer than its body length. An individual of H. illucens larvae possessed a total of $5.0{\pm}10^6$ bacteria in the whole intestine, of which more than 98% bacteria were located in the hindgut. Three different bacterial isolates cultured on nutrient agar (NA) medium were detected in the intestine and identified as Morganella morganii, Providencia rettgeri and Bacillus halodurans by Biolog microbial identification system. Analysis of 16S rDNA sequences of the intestinal bacteria detected the additional bacteria of Proteus mirabilis, Providencia alcalifaciens, and Providencia sp. These intestinal bacteria cultured on NA medium exhibited high resistance to 4 antibiotics and inhibited growth of other microbes which are mainly plant pathogens. Also, these bacteria exhibited catalytic activities to degrade cellulose, lipid, proteins, and carbohydrates. These results suggest that H. illucens larvae possess intestinal bacteria that may play crucial roles in their digestive physiology.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.1094-1099
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• 2021

Hermetia illucens (Black soldier fly) is attracting attention as an environmental purification insect because it can supply a wide range of by-products of the agricultural food industry. Also, it has a potential feed for fish, birds, and pets due to a short life cycle and excellent nutritional components. Several pharmacological effects, including antimicrobial, of H. illucens have been reported. However, no study has focused on antiobesity effects of ethanol extract of H. illucens. In this study, we aimed to assess the anti-obesity effects of ethanol extract of H. illucens larvae (HIE) through inhibition of differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes into adipocytes. The amount of lipid accumulated in adipocytes was measured by oil red-O staining, and the inhibitory effect on adipogenesis was confirmed. The expression levels of factors related to adipocyte differentiation and fat synthesis were determined using Western blot analysis. Lipid droplet formation in adipocytes was remarkably inhibited by HIE. In addition, treatment with 400 ㎍/ml of HIE significantly reduced the expression levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α-transcription factors involved in adipocyte differentiation. Therefore, the results of this study indicate that HIE is a potential anti-obesity agent because it inhibits adipocyte differentiation.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.337-343
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• 2008

This study was conducted to investigate the distribution pattern, ecological characteristics and life cycle of the Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens, BSF). The BSF was widely distributed throughout Korea. The insect was mainly found in the vicinity of and in cattle sheds, manure sheds, living waste dump grounds, and food waste dump grounds. Developmental characteristics of the BSF are as follows: the egg was long oval shaped of 887 ${\mu}m$ in the major axis and 190 ${\mu}m$ in the minor axis; it weighed 24 ${\mu}g$. Female oviposited ca. 1,000 eggs on average; eggs hatched in 81 hours under laboratory condition ($27^{\circ}C$, 60% R.H.). The duration of the larval stage was approximately $15{\sim}20$ days. The size of the last instar larvae was 21 mm. The cuticle of the pupae gradually acquired red-brown color and the size of them was 19 mm. The pupal stage was shorter for females (16 days) than males (15 days). Adults were sized about $13{\sim}20$ mm long and black-colored. The life span of adult insects was $5{\sim}8$ days for the first generation (June${\sim}$July), $7{\sim}10$ days for the second generation (Aug.${\sim}$Sept.), and $13{\sim}18$ days for the third generation (Sept.${\sim}$Oct.). Mating started on the next day of emergence and actively occurred at the third day after emergence. Mating mostly occurred between 10:00 and 16:00 during which light intensity is highest. Egg-laying started on the third day and was most frequent from the fourth to the sixth day after emergence. Similar to mating time, females oviposited mostly between 10:00 and 16:00.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.428-440
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• 2023

Global meat consumption is increasing worldwide, however, supply remains lacking. Several alternative protein sources, such as cultured meat, plant-based protein production, and edible insects, have been proposed to overcome this shortage. Interestingly, edible insects are characterized by superior digestive and absorptive qualities that make them the ideal replacement for traditional protein production. This study aims to further the processing ability of insect protein by investigating the effects of various pre-treatment methods, such as blanching (HB), roasting (HR), and superheated steam (HS), on the nutritional properties and physicochemical characteristics of proteins extracted from Hermetia illucens larvae. The drying rate, pH value, color analysis, amino and fatty acid profile, as well as bulk density, shear force, and rehydration ratios of the above pre-treatment methods, were explored. HS was found to have the highest drying rate and pH value analysis showed that HB and HS samples have significantly higher values compared to the other modalities. Raw edible insects had the highest value in the sum of essential amino acid (EAA) and EAA index when compared to EAAs. HB and HS showed significantly lower bulk density results, and HS showed the highest shear force and the highest value in rehydration ratio, regardless of immersion time. Therefore, taking the above results together, it was found that blanching and superheated steam blanching pre-treatment were the most effective methods to improve the processing properties of H. illucens after hot-air drying.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.63-70
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• 2012

This study was conducted to investigated the distribution, ecological character and life cycle of Black Soldier Fly(BSF), Hermetia illucens, to determine effects of BSF on composing ability to the livestock feces. The distribution of BSF was defined in all parts of the country in Korea. Its main habitat was found to be areas near cattle sheds, feces sheds, living waste dump grounds, and food waste dump grounds. Excellent species of the bio-conversion using the livestock feces were selected out of two kinds of solider flies(Hermetia illucens and Ptecticus tenebrifer). And effects of BSF on composing ability to the livestock feces were pig feces 0.5 g, cattle feces 0.43 g and chicken feces 0.3 g per a larvae of BSF. In the examination of the ability of BSF to decompose food waste, volume of the livestock feces decreased by weight pig feces 77, cattle feces 83.62 and chicken feces 80%. Observed characteristics of BSF larvae and pupae stage were by developmental stage may be summarized as follows: size and length of larvae and pupae of BSF were higher than in pig feces and mixed sawdust treatments. In order to develop artificial indoor rearing techniques, The pupation and emergence rate were not visible the difference but important factor of the mating and egg-laying was a sun light. And it was visible the difference in mating ratio. Mating rate of H. illucens by seasonal change was the highest from May to July. Mating mostly occurred between 10 : 00 and 12 : 00 during which light intensity is high. As the egg-laying medium for artificial egg collection, calf feed and food waste were most effective. The ratio of egg-laying medium is waste food : sawdust(1 : 1) in volume. For egg-laying materials, flower foam and wood with holes were used; holes sized 3 ~ 5 mm in diameter, 7 ~ 10 mm in depth were most preferred for egg-laying.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.185-187
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• 2010

Most studies of the black soldier fly, Hermitia illucens, widely distributed throughout Southeast Asia and America focused on the use of larvae for recycling various organic materials and feed for fish and livestock. To recognize the instars of the soldier fly's larvae, we examined the number of exuviae originated from each larva from 1st instar to pupa. The weight and the head capsule width of the black soldier fly larvae also confirmed that the black soldier fly was passed through 6th instars. In addition, we found that the black soldier fly larvae had a well developed mandibular-maxillary complex, similar to those reported from the larvae of scavengers including Odontomyia cincta, Neopachygaster maculicornis, Ptecticus brunettii and Stratiomys ruficornis.