• 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.

• 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.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.25-30
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• 2018

The larvae of Hermetia. illucens have a high probability of coming into contact with microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. Therefore, the survival of H. illucens is primarily the protection of their own against microbial infection. This effect depends on the development of the innate immune system. Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) exhibit antimicrobial activity against other bacterial strains and can provide important data to understand the basis of the innate immunity of H. illucens. In this study, we injected larvae with Enterococcus. faecalis (gram-positive bacteria) and Serratia. marcescens as (gram-negative bacteria) to test the hypothesis that H. illucens is protected from infection by its immune-related gene expression repertoire. To identify the inducible immune-related genes, we performed and cataloged the transcriptomes by RNA-Seq analysis. We compared the transcriptomes of whole larvae and obtained a DNA fragment of 465 bp including the poly (A) tail by RACE as a novel H. illucens immune-related gene against bacteria. A novel target mRNA expression was higher in immunized larvae with E. faecalis and S. marcescens groups than non-immunized group. We expect our study to provide evidence that the global RNA-Seq approach allowed for the identification of a gene of interest which was further analyzed by quantitative RT-PCR, together with genes chosen from the available literature.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.54-58
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• 2016

In natural conditions, the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), colonizes in warm temperate regions, and is active in Korea from May through October. Information on black soldier fly rearing, which is affected by seasonal factors in Korea, is limited. This species colonizes and oviposits in a wide variety of decomposing vegetable and animal matter. For mass rearing of black soldier flies, the egg deposition methods are dependent on sunlight and oviposition sites. In this study, we investigated the substrates and oviposition sites preferred by black soldier fly in artificial rearing system. Our results showed that as black soldier flies prefer mating under sunlight, they prefer ovipositing at sites where adequate sunlight and food substrate are available. Further detailed research is required to develop methods for artificially rearing black soldier fly throughout the year in Korea.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.883-890
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• 2022

The present study investigated the feasibility of using the ethanolic extract of Hermetia illucens larvae (HIE) as a whitening improvement material. In cell viability assays using B16F1 melanoma cells, no cytotoxicity was recorded up to 200 ㎍·mL^-1 of HIE. Moreover, while tyrosinase inhibitory activity increased, melanin content decreased in a dose-dependent manner, indicating that HIE likely inhibited tyrosine-induced intracellular melanin biosynthesis in B16F1 melanoma cells. Therefore, HIE is expected to serve as a potent whitening improvement material.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.107-113
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• 2013

The black soldier fly larvae are able to decompose various organic wastes such as livestock manures and food wastes. We tested whether the quality of the insect derived compost, i.e. larval feces, was comparable to that of a commercial fertilizer. Chemical analysis of Hermetia. illucens compost was suitable as a fertilizer. When the kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) was raised on the culture soil treated with the H. illucens compost, the growth of leaf area, total dry weight and leaf dry weight increased significantly. The H. illucens compost is thought to act as an increasing factor of RGR (relative growth rate) from the beginning of growth and also had a great effect on the relative growth rate throughout the late stage of growth. There is high statistical significance between NAR (net assimilation rate) and RGR (relative growth rate), but no significance between RGR and LAR (leaf assimilation rate) of the treatments. In addition, the treatment of H. illucens compost promoted the thickness of leaves from the beginning of growth and the tendency of thickening leaves from the beginning of growth and the effect continued throughout the late period of growth. When mixed with 50% of H. illucens compost rather than 25%, it showed the greater effect on the plant growth.

• 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.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.100-105
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• 2017

Under natural conditions, black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), colonizes in warm temperate regions, and is active in Korea from May through October. Information on black soldier fly rearing, which is affected by seasonal factors in Korea, is limited. Oviposition by black soldier flies is dependent on light intensity and wavelength. Therefore, continuous mass rearing of this fly requires determination of optimal artificial conditions of illumination. In this study, we compared the number of eggs laid under an artificial light source (750 watt HPL lamp) versus nature sunlight. Our results showed that compared to oviposition under natural sunlight, the use of one or two lamps for 7 hours, resulted in only 43 and 76%, of the total number of eggs laid under natural sunlight, respectively. We also investigated the hatchability of oviposited eggs under artificial illumination and under natural sunlight. The hatching rate under the former was much significantly lower than under the latter. Further detailed research is required to develop methods for successful mass rearing of black soldier fly throughout the year by means of an indoor system.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.300-308
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• 2023

This study aimed to evaluate the utilization of low fish meal (LFM) diet and black soldier fly (BSF) Hermetia illucens meal supplementation in LFM diet as a fish meal (FM) replacer or functional additive for juvenile olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus. Three LFM diets were prepared to contain 30, 25, and 20% FM, respectively (designated as F30, F25, and F20). Three BSF diets were prepared by adding 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0% BSF in the LFM diets, respectively (designated as F30B2.0, F25B2.5, and F20B3.0). A total of 540 fish (initial mean body weight: 22.3±0.01g) were randomly distributed into 18 tanks (240 L) in triplicate groups and fed the experimental diets twice daily for 12 weeks. Results showed that there were no significant differences in the growth performance, feed utilization and survival among all the groups. Lysozyme activity significantly increased in F30B2.0 and F25B2.5 groups compared to their respective LFM groups. Total immunoglobulin was significantly higher in F30 group than in F20 group. Anti-protease and myeloperoxidase activities were significantly higher in F30B2.0 group than in F20 group. Innate immunity gradually decreased with decreasing FM level in all the groups. BSF supplementation significantly improved immunity compared to their respective LFM diets. Therefore, BSF could be used as an immuno-stimulant supplement in LFM diets for P. olivaceus.

• 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.