Investigating the impact of timing of rice bran feeding on oviposition and hatching in crickets (Gryllus bimaculatus)

Abstract Insects are gaining attention as potential sources of food and livestock feed, with food waste being their primary source of nutrition. Several studies have investigated the use of agricultural and food-processing by-products as food for crickets, in particular rice bran. Although the weight, survival rate, feed conversion ratio and efficiency of conversion of ingested food have been evaluated in crickets fed on rice bran, reports on oviposition and hatching are limited. In this study, we investigated the effects of timing on oviposition and hatching when using rice bran as cricket feed. In control treatment A, aquaculture feed (protein 30.00%) was consistently provided throughout the growth period. In experimental treatment B, aquaculture feed was provided for the first 4 weeks after hatching, after which only rice bran (protein 14.77%) was provided. In experimental treatment C, aquaculture feed was provided for the first 3 weeks after hatching, with only rice bran provided thereafter. The total number of eggs produced per female over 10 days increased with the duration of feeding the aquaculture feed (A, 1541 ± 281; B, 410 ± 58; C, 243 ± 19). The hatchability of eggs obtained on days 38 and 52 after hatching decreased with parent ageing (day 38, 70–90%; day 52, 20%). The timing of feeding with rice bran feed can significantly affect oviposition and hatching in crickets. As oviposition and hatching affect productivity, future research should further evaluate the effects of specialised feed for crickets that use food-processing by-products.