Energy Metabolism and Bioconversion Efficiency in Hermetia illucens Larvae: A Review of Current Knowledge

Authors

  • Martin Matsanga Solo Département de Zootechnie, Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques et environnement, Université de Kinshasa BP. 117. XI, Kinshasa, République Démocratique du Congo Author
  • Coutinho Ndombele Mbembe Département de Zootechnie, Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques et environnement, Université de Kinshasa BP. 117. XI, Kinshasa, République Démocratique du Congo Author
  • Léon Diambu Phola Département de Zootechnie, Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques et environnement, Université de Kinshasa BP. 117. XI, Kinshasa, République Démocratique du Congo Author
  • Pascal Kokota Kongbo Département de Zootechnie, Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques et environnement, Université de Kinshasa BP. 117. XI, Kinshasa, République Démocratique du Congo Author
  • Onésime Nsindu Gekuwaku Département de Zootechnie, Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques et environnement, Université de Kinshasa BP. 117. XI, Kinshasa, République Démocratique du Congo Author
  • Gisele Kubindana Bonda Département de Zootechnie, Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques et environnement, Université de Kinshasa BP. 117. XI, Kinshasa, République Démocratique du Congo Author
  • Gaëtan Kalala Bolokango Département de Zootechnie, Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques et environnement, Université de Kinshasa BP. 117. XI, Kinshasa, République Démocratique du Congo Author
  • Patrick Kinkela Mafwila Author
  • Alexandre Tona Tona Département de Zootechnie, Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques et environnement, Université de Kinshasa BP. 117. XI, Kinshasa, République Démocratique du Congo Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.59228/rcst.026.v5.i2.307

Keywords:

Energy metabolism, Hermetia illucens;, zootechnical performance, insect larvae

Abstract

This literature review analyzes the energy metabolism of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae and the factors that may influence their biological and zootechnical performance. It was conducted based on a critical analysis of scientific publications indexed in Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar between 2010 and 2025. The results show that H. illucens larvae exhibit high metabolic plasticity, enabling them to convert a wide variety of organic substrates into biomass rich in protein and lipids. Their feed conversion efficiency, often characterized by an FCR of less than 2, represents a major advantage over several conventional farmed species. Temperature, humidity, pH, larval density, and the substrate’s carbon-to-nitrogen ratio directly influence growth, survival, enzymatic activity, and bioconversion. The most favorable conditions reported in the literature generally range from 27 to 30 °C for temperature, 60 to 70% for humidity, 6.5 to 7.0 for pH, and 20 to 25 for the C/N ratio. This review highlights the importance of integrated management of rearing parameters to optimize larval production and enhance the use of H. illucens in sustainable agri-food systems.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Arrese, E. L., & Soulages, J. L. (2010). Insect fat body: Energy, metabolism, and regulation. Annual Review of Entomology, 55, 207–225. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-ento-112408-085356

Baabouche, D., Baabouche, C., Dif, A., & Azzoug, S. (2023). Étude de la composition d’Hermetia illucens, son activité antimicrobienne et son application dans l’alimentation des poulets de chair [Mémoire de fin d’études, Université Mohamed Boudiaf de M’Sila].

Banks, I. J., Gibson, W. T., & Cameron, M. M. (2014). Growth rates of black soldier fly larvae fed on fresh human faeces and their implication for improving sanitation. Tropical Medicine & International Health, 19(1), 14–22. https://doi.org/10.1111/tmi.12228

Belalia, S. (2018). Étude de faisabilité d’un système de production de larves de Hermetia illucens à petite échelle basé sur le recyclage des déchets organiques et leur valorisation pour l’aviculture et le maraîchage familial au Ghana [Mémoire de master, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Université de Liège].

Cammack, J. A., & Tomberlin, J. K. (2017). The impact of diet protein and carbohydrate on life-history traits of the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens). Insects, 8(2), 56. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects8020056

Cheng, J. Y. K., Chiu, S. L. H., & Lo, I. M. C. (2017). Effects of moisture content and pH on biodegradation of food waste by black soldier fly larvae. Waste Management, 67, 315–323. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2017.05.046

Chown, S. L., & Nicolson, S. W. (2004). Insect physiological ecology: Mechanisms and patterns. Oxford University Press.

Diener, S., Zurbrugg, C., & Tockner, K. (2011). Conversion of organic material by black soldier fly larvae: Establishing optimal feeding rates. Waste Management & Research, 29(9), 967–973. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X11413335

Goergen, G., DuPont, P., & Neuenschwander, P. (2011). Biodiversité des insects. International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA).

Gold, M., Tomberlin, J. K., Diener, S., Zurbrugg, C., & Mathys, A. (2018). Decomposition of biowaste macronutrients, microbes, and chemicals in black soldier fly larval treatment: A review. Waste Management, 82, 302–318. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2018.10.022

Harnden, L. M., & Tomberlin, J. K. (2016). Effects of temperature and diet on black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), development. Forensic Science International, 266, 109–116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2016.05.007

Holmes, L. A., Van Laerhoven, S. L., & Tomberlin, J. K. (2012). Relative humidity effects on the life history of Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae). Environmental Entomology, 41(4), 971–978. https://doi.org/10.1603/EN12054

Jucker, C., Erba, D., Leonardi, M. G., Lupi, D., & Savoldelli, S. (2017). Assessment of vegetable and fruit substrates as potential rearing media for Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) larvae. Environmental Entomology, 46(6), 1415–1423. https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvx154

Kaczor, M., Bulak, P., Proc-Pietrycha, K., Kirichenko-Babko, M., & Bieganowski, A. (2023). The variety of applications of Hermetia illucens in industrial and agricultural areas: A review. Biology, 12(1), 25. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology12010025

Lalander, C., Diener, S., Zurbrügg, C., & Vinnerås, B. (2020). Effects of feedstock on larval development and process efficiency in waste treatment with black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens). Waste Management, 102, 319–329. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2019.10.014

Ma, J., Lei, Y., Rehman, K. U., Yu, Z., Zhang, J., Li, W., Li, Q., Tomberlin, J. K., & Zheng, L. (2018). Dynamic effects of feedstock on nutrient metabolism of black soldier fly larvae. Science of the Total Environment, 627, 1313–1320. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.01.277

Makkar, H. P. S., Tran, G., Heuzé, V., & Ankers, P. (2014). State-of-the-art on use of insects as animal feed. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 197, 1–33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2014.07.008

Nation, J. L. (2016). Insect physiology and biochemistry (3rd ed.). CRC Press.

Nyakeri, E. M., Ogola, H. J. O., Ayieko, M. A., & Amimo, F. A. (2017). An open system for farming black soldier fly larvae as a source of proteins for small-scale poultry and fish production. Journal of Insects as Food and Feed, 3(1), 51–56. https://doi.org/10.3920/JIFF2016.0030

Petremand, G., Petitpierre, N., & Yvon, C. (2021). Observations de la mouche soldat noire, Hermetia illucens (Linnaeus, 1758) à Genève (Diptera : Stratiomyidae). Entomo Helvetica, 14, 155–158.

Sissoko, D., Maïga, M. A., Sagara, B., Cissé, M. B. M., Coulibaly, D., Samba, M., & Doumbia, F. (2024). Effet de différents substrats sur le développement et la croissance des larves de la mouche soldat noire (Hermetia illucens) au Mali. Revue Scientifique Biannuelle de l’Université de Ségou, 4(1), 32–48.

Spranghers, T., Ottoboni, M., Klootwijk, C., Ovyn, A., Deboosere, S., De Meulenaer, B., Michiels, J., Eeckhout, M., De Clercq, P., & De Smet, S. (2017). Nutritional composition of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) prepupae reared on different organic waste substrates. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 97(8), 2594–2600. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.8081

Tomberlin, J. K., Sheppard, D. C., & Joyce, J. A. (2009). Selected life-history traits of black soldier flies (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) reared on three artificial diets. Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 102(3), 376–382. https://doi.org/10.1603/008.102.0306

Université Mentouri Constantine. (2019). Le corps gras chez les insectes (Chapitre X, Physiologie des insectes, Licence 3 Entomologie). Université Mentouri Constantine.

Van Huis, A. (2020). Insects as food and feed, a new emerging agricultural sector: A review. Journal of Insects as Food and Feed, 6(1), 27–44. https://doi.org/10.3920/JIFF2019.0017

Auger, L., Deschamps, M.-H., Vandenberg, G., & Derome, N. (2025). Beyond the ban: Bacterial microbiota analysis of Hermetia illucens larvae in the context of European regulation. Journal of Insects as Food and Feed.

Pei, Y., Zhang, Y., & Li, X. (2023). Comparative metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analyses reveal intestinal microbial functions involved in antibiotic degradation by black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens). Microbiology Spectrum, 11(4). https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.04551-22

Zhang, B., Yang, R., Yuan, Z., Su, H., Shi, J., He, S., Dai, S., Sun, D., Zhao, Z., Hu, Q., & Wu, D. (2025). Transcriptomic and metabolomic mechanisms underlying adaptive differentiation of black soldier fly larvae induced by regional food waste domestication. Biology, 14(11), 1584. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14111584

Zaalberg, R. M., Andersen, L. B., Noel, S. J., Buitenhuis, A. J., Jensen, K., & Gebreyesus, G. (2025). Prediction of amino acid content in live black soldier fly larvae using near infrared spectroscopy. Animal Feed Science and Technology (sous presse).

Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., Shamseer, L., Tetzlaff, J. M., Akl, E. A., Brennan, S. E., Chou, R., Glanville, J., Grimshaw, J. M., Hróbjartsson, A., Lalu, M. M., Li, T., Loder, E. W., Mayo-Wilson, E., McDonald, S., ... Moher, D. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ, 372, n71. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71.

Downloads

Published

2026-07-06

Most read articles by the same author(s)

Similar Articles

1-10 of 337

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.