Development of a small scale BSF rearing system and firsthand experience of the process and its lifecycle

Abstract

Black soldier fly larva (BSFL) or also known as Hermetia illucens is a type of insect that has been studied for its potential to bio convert waste into a form of protein and lipid. As the bio-conversion process of food wastage into profitable sources is robust, environmentally friendly without the need for their end-product to be managed, it is a very promising sustainable method that should be explored more. A small-scale experiment was conducted to gain firsthand experience of the BSF rearing process. A portable BSFL production system was designed, developed, and tested in this study. As an addition to the experience, an experiment on the effect of different types of diet on the development of the larvae to prepupae was conducted and several characteristics of the harvested BSFL also was recorded and compared. Results show that the system can support the rearing of BSF and the different diet consumption affected the larvae size and weight. In conclusion, the system could be employed for the small scale BSFL production that not just helping in taking care of the Malaysian food waste but they will also serve as an awareness-raising measure for circular economic solutions.