insects to feed insects - feeding Aedes mosquitoes with flies for laboratory rearing

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Résumé

The black soldier fly, yellow mealworm and house fly are known for their wide distribution, ease of
breeding, and environmental and nutritional attributes. Diets based on these fly proteins for the rearing
of mosquito larvae are more accessible and affordable when compared to the reference IAEA diet which
consists largely of costly livestock products such as bovine liver powder. Following a step-by-step
assessment, we developed diet mixtures based on insect meal for the optimal mass production of Aedes
albopictus and Ae. aegypti. Based on the assessed parameters including mosquito egg hatch, body
size, flight ability, longevity and diet cost reduction, two mixtures are recommended: 1/2 tuna meal
(tM)+ 7/20 black soldier fly (BSF) + 3/20 brewer’s yeast and 1/2 TM +1/2 BSF. These findings, which
could be adapted to other mosquito species, provide alternative protein sources for mass rearing insects
for genetic control strategies.

Mots-clés

diets, proteins, black soldier, Aedes mosquitoes