Monday, 27 October 2003
D0206

This presentation is part of : Display Presentations, Section D. Medical and Veterinary Entomology

The black soldier fly, Hermatia illucens, for the digestion of manure collected from an existing hog house

Wes Watson, North Carolina State University, Department of Entomology, Box 7626, Raleigh, NC, Craig Sheppard, University of Georgia, Department of Entomology, Coastal Plain Experiment Station, Tifton, GA, and Larry Newton, University of Georgia, Animal Science, Coastal Plain Experiment Station, Tifton, GA.

Black Soldier flies were reared on swine manure collected from the NCSU Lake Wheeler Swine Education Unit, Raleigh, NC. The system relies on a conveyor belt and transfer points to deliver fresh manure to a concrete larval basin. Approximately 180,000 larvae (10,000/sq. ft) were reared on fresh pig manure in the concrete basin. BSF larvae reduced 120 lbs of fresh manure to 52 lbs of dry digested manure within 14 days. No objectionable odor could be detected from the BSF digested manure. Black Soldier Fly larvae reduced nutrient content of fresh manure between 44 and 55%. These data suggest BSF could be used to produce a valuable soil amendment from swine manure.

Species 1: Diptera Stratiomyidae Hermetia illucens (Black Soldier Fly)
Keywords: Digestion, Swine Manure

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