An artificial light source influences mating and oviposition of black soldier flies, Hermetia illucens.
Current methods for mass-rearing black soldier flies, Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), in the laboratory are dependent on sunlight. Quartz-iodine lamps and rare earth lamps were examined as artificial light sources for stimulating H. illucens to mate and lay eggs. Sunlight was used as the control. Adults in the quartz-iodine lamp treatment had a mating rate of 61% of those in the sunlight control. No mating occurred when the rare earth lamp was used as a substitute. Egg hatch for the quartz-iodine lamp and sunlight treatments occurred in approximately 4 days, and the hatch rate was similar between these two treatments. Larval and pupal development under these treatments required approximately 18 and 15 days at 28°C, respectively. Development of methods for mass rearing of H. illucens using artificial light will enable production of this fly throughout the year without investing in greenhouse space or requiring sunlight.
State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, National Engineering Research Centre of Microbial Pesticides, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, PR China.
Jibin
J
Zhang
Ling
L
Huang
Jin
J
He
Jeffery K
JK
Tomberlin
Jianhong
J
Li
Chaoliang
C
Lei
Ming
M
Sun
Ziduo
Z
Liu
Ziniu
Z
Yu
D000818:Animals; D004175:Diptera / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005260:Female; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D010058:Oviposition / Q000528:radiation effects*; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000528:radiation effects*
Annu Rev Entomol. 2001;46:471-510
11112177
J Econ Entomol. 1992 Dec;85(6):2291-4
1464690
J Forensic Sci. 2005 Jan;50(1):152-3
15831010
J Med Entomol. 2002 Jul;39(4):695-8
12144307
Environ Entomol. 2008 Feb;37(1):11-5
18348791
J Med Entomol. 2008 Jan;45(1):160-5
18283958
Environ Entomol. 2008 Dec;37(6):1525-30
19161696
J Food Prot. 2004 Apr;67(4):685-90
15083719
J Med Entomol. 2000 May;37(3):316-8
15535570