The effects of temperature on the developmental rates of black soldier flies

Black Soldier Flies, Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) are of particular interest for their applications in waste management and can be used to solve many problems associated with large manure accumulations in confined feeding operations. Determining the Black Soldier Fly's development as a result of climatic variations will allow for optimizing their colonization of manure and subsequently aid in reducing the large manure accumulations associated with these confined feeding operations. The Black Soldier Fly was reared on a larval diet of Buckeye 18% hen layer-breeder feed using pork liver as a control, while temperature and humidity were both manipulated to study the effects these parameters have on their development. Preliminary studies, involving the use of different larval media was conducted to determine any consequential effects that media has on development under controlled climatic conditions (temperature and humidity). The optimal media was then selected for rearing and the assessment of temperature and humidity on development was evaluated respectively and independently. While maintaining a constant humidity, temperature was altered to determine the maximum and minimum temperature thresholds for development, as well as the optimal temperature for development.