Survival of black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) in water at different temperatures: potential for storage and transport.

As a result of the importance of black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) in the insect sector, demand and production of this species are increasing quickly. Consequently, a larger scale production of BSFL involves an increased importance of transport and storage of the insects as part of the logistic chain. The management of this logistic chain within or between companies producing and/or processing BSFL is essential in order to prevent economical losses and optimize the insect sector. Research regarding methods for stable transport and storage of insects is scarce and therefore necessary. Water can be an promising transport or storage medium for living insects. It not only provides the possibility of combining washing and storage/transport, but can also contribute to fast and easy cooling of the insects and can allow the insects to be "pumped" through or between facilities. A high survival is of course crucial when applying a storage technique. Hence, in this study, the survival of BSFL in water of different temperatures is currently being investigated as a first step in assessing the potential of water in insect storage or transport. Samples of living, freshly harvested BSFL are submerged in preconditioned water (3:1 ratio insects:water (m/m)) at three different temperatures (ambient, 15 °C and 4 °C) and stored for five days at their respective temperatures. With intervals of 12 to 24 h, samples are being evaluated for the survival of the larvae. Additionally, the pH of the water during the storage period is monitored in order to investigate the impact of the residing larvae on the pH of the water over time. In a next study, also the impact of the microbiological quality of the water and the insects as well as excretion of frass during storage on the survival rate can be included. Based on the results from this and following studies, guidelines for storage or transport in water can be developed for the insect industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]