MORPHOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS OF BLACK SOLDIER FLY AND THEIR GROWTH RATE ON DIFFERENT WASTE MATERIALS

Abstract

A study was conducted in SAU Insectarium at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University (SAU), Dhaka, Bangladesh during the period of July to December, 2021 to study the morphometry and growth rate of black soldier fly in different waste materials.Two different experiments were conducted using CRD method. Four different type of waste materials with different level of nutrient content available for black soldier fly larvae were selected for the study namely WM 0 ii

: Control (Rice straw), WM 1 : Kitchen waste, WM 2 : Restaurant waste, WM 3 : Fish garbage and WM 4 : Leftover fruits, 4 replications were done to find out their efficacy on black soldier fly culture media.The life stages of black soldier fly was observed through the egg hatching (1-4 days), larval growth through six instars with five exuviate stages which took up to 13 to 18 days to complete. The last exuviate stage marks the transition from larva to prepupa, with ceasing of eating for further pupation (color: black). Male and female adult stage duration varied for 2 to 3 days although average adult stage duration was for 5 to 8 days for most of the black soldier flies. The mean larval period was observed as long as 15.50 days (±2.50). The mean egg to adult period for male black soldier fly was observed 45.10 days (±4.25), whereas for female black soldier fly the duration was recorded as 48.25 days (±4.13). Among the different waste materials Kitchen waste, Restaurant waste, Fish garbage and Leftover fruits considering black soldier fly culture, treatment WM 4 : Leftover fruits showed better performance in completing larval period, egg to adult duration and fecundity (10.00, 46.67 and 528) and took minimum days for hatching (3.05) demonstrating rapid growth and development as well as best fecundity. Treatment WM 4 : Leftover fruits showed better performance in egg to larval period and egg to adult growth rate (49.05% and 60.13%) resulting the most suitable culture media for black soldier fly commercial culture.