Evaluating Light-Dependent Olfactory Responses in Adult Black Soldier Flies for Improved Rearing Practices

Black soldier flies (BSF; Hermetia illucens) are insects known for their ability to upcycle food waste into useful agricultural products such as fertilizers, soil amendments, proteins, fats, and chitin. These qualities make BSF larvae pivotal in the food waste recycling industry. Consequently, significant research has been dedicated to optimizing larval growth conditions, while adult BSF behavior remains largely unexplored. This gap may impede further improvements in rearing operations and overall production. To address this, we tested BSF adults using a Y-tube olfactometer—a robust assay for olfaction—to evaluate the olfactory preferences of adult BSF. We compared the response rate of adult BSF to a known attractant and a negative control. Our experimental setup involves varied light conditions ranging from no light, fluorescent lamps, and a custom-made UV full spectrum light to simulate outdoor conditions. Our preliminary results suggest that BSF adults exhibit a higher response to the known attractant under full spectrum light, suggesting that specific lighting conditions enhance responsiveness to olfactory cues. These insights imply that light may play a crucial role in key behaviors such as oviposition, mating, and attraction. By better understanding these processes, we can refine BSF rearing techniques, which could lead to advancements in the waste recycling industry.