Sustainable Waste Management: Green Concept of Black Solider Fly Larvae (Hermetia illucens) as Bio-degradable Waste Convertor; Comparison of Life Cycle and Growth Performances in Two Different Substrates

Viable waste management using insects are in trend, nevertheless no significant practices available locally. The black soldier fly larvae (BSFL; Hermetia illucens) have proven successfully the decomposition of organic matter savagely, enriched with favorable amino acid source for animal feed. The study intended to compare the life cyclemodalities ofBSFLwith two different substrates, swill (T1) and poultry starter feed (T2), by assessing the days taken for completion of life cycle, egg and larval characteristics and crude protein (CP) percentage under IM3 agro climatic region in Belihuloya, Sri Lanka. There was no substrate-dependent effect on the egg characteristics. The total time period taken to complete the life cycle in T2 (37 – 45 days) was quicker than the T1 (46 - 57 days). Substantial length and width variation in different larval instars were observed whereas higher values were recorded in T2 with compared to T1. The CP percentage of pre-pupae stage was 51.99% in T2 while 39.46% in T1. The latter instars of BSF larvae CPpercentage were recorded as 48.88% and 33.11% in T2 and T1 respectively. In conclusion, poultry starter feed (T2) that consist of balanced nutrient composition could be used as the most appropriate substrate for early life cycle completion with compared to swill (T1). T2 may effectively utilize as artificial media for initial propagation of BSFL. Larva growth under T2 conditions recorded the highest CP levels but it need to be further studied prior to use as protein substitution in animal feed formulation.