Substrates most preferred for black soldier fly <i>Hermetia illucens</i> (L.) oviposition are not the most suitable for their larval development

Larvae of black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens (L.1758) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), are increasingly being used as animal feed ingredients. usually produced by placing eggs, obtained from adult rearing on growing substrates but can also be exposing to naturally occurring BSF females. In the latter system, substrate needs not only nutritious for larvae attractive females oviposition. The ‘preference-performance principle’ suggests that female insects prefer oviposit in maximise offspring fitness. this study conducted Ghana, six organic known suitable production were evaluated their suitability oviposition attractants and larval development: pito mash (waste a locally brewed sorghum drink), millet porridge mash, pig manure, chicken fruit waste, waste roots tubers. These first exposed outdoors measure quantity eggs laid them second experiment, quality media was tested standard amount young individual total weights prepupae obtained, number, development time. nutritional profiles both determined. significantly influenced resulting prepupae, most favourable favoured gravid tests, substrate, whereas few recovered other substrates. All allowed successful manure more productive than others.