Effect of dietary fat supplementation on development time and fatty acid profiles in black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens L.) across life stages

ABSTRACT This study explored preliminary trends in how dietary fat composition may affect the total fat content and fatty acid profile of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) across three developmental stages: larval, pre-pupal, and pupal. Five experimental diets were formulated by supplementing a base substrate, wheat middlings, with 100 g/kg wet weight of different oils: coconut, sunflower, flaxseed, avocado, or olive. The larvae reared on the flaxseed oil diet (rich in alpha-linolenic acid) reached the pre-pupal stage significantly faster (12.3 days) than those in other treatments (14–15.5 days).