Evaluation of Different Organic Substrates in the Production of Black Soldier Fly ( Hermetia Illucens Linn.) Larvae at the University of Port Harcourt.

The Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL), Hermetia illucens, is an effective tool for managing organic waste and producing feed for livestock. This study investigated the growth of BSFL on five organic substrates derived from domestic waste (Corn chaff (CC), tiger-nut chaff (TN), plantain stump + corn chaff (PC), kitchen waste (KW), and plantain + potato + yam peel (PPY). Among these, BSFL reared on kitchen waste (KW) showed the highest growth in both weight and length, followed by those reared on plantain stump + corn chaff, plantain + potato + yam peel, corn chaff, and finally tiger-nut chaff in descending order of growth outcomes. In terms of substrate reduction efficiency, corn chaff showed the highest reduction at 83.2%, with subsequent reductions for KW, PC, PPY, and TN. Average individual weights of BSFL were also highest for those reared on KW (0.19 g), followed by PC (0.16 g), with CC and PPY each yielding 0.13 g. The lowest individual weight was recorded for TN at 0.06 g per larva. Statistical analysis indicated that BSFL developmental growth across the substrates was generally not significant at the 0.05 level, except for KW and CC. However, substrate reduction was only statistically significant for CC, while individual larval weights were significant across all except TN. The utilization of these organic substrates, derived from various grades of domestic waste, demonstrates the insect’s valuable role in organic waste management and their body as a sustainable tool for animal feed production.