Effect of Temperature and Photoperiod on Development, Survival, and Growth Rate of Mealworms, Tenebrio molitor

Insects are a potential substitute for conventional meat and can be part of a sustainable human diet due to their valuable nutrients and relatively low environmental production impact. One species that is already produced for human consumption and livestock feed is the mealworm, i.e., larvae of . Kn...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Insects (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2022-03, Vol.13 (4), p.321
Main Authors: Eberle, Stephan, Schaden, Lisa-Marie, Tintner, Johannes, Stauffer, Christian, Schebeck, Martin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Boxes
Darkness
development
Eggs
entomophagy
Environmental impact
Food
Growth rate
Insects
Larvae
Livestock
Livestock feed
Livestock feeds
Mass rearing
mealworm
Meat
Nutrients
photoperiod
Photoperiods
Substitutes
Survival
Sustainability
Sustainable production
Temperature
Temperature effects
Tenebrio molitor
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Summary:Insects are a potential substitute for conventional meat and can be part of a sustainable human diet due to their valuable nutrients and relatively low environmental production impact. One species that is already produced for human consumption and livestock feed is the mealworm, i.e., larvae of . Knowledge of the effects of temperature, and particularly photoperiod, on mealworm development is scarce, but crucial for the improvement of rearing. Therefore, the effects of three temperatures (20 °C, 25 °C, and 30 °C), in combination with three photoperiods (long-day-16 h:8 h light:dark; short-day-8 h:16 h light:dark, and constant darkness) on mealworm survival, developmental time, and growth rate were tested. We describe a significant effect of temperature on survival rate, developmental time, and growth rate. Furthermore, significant effects of photoperiod on developmental time and growth rate were found. At 25 and 30 °C and constant darkness, the highest survival and growth rate, along with the shortest developmental time, were observed. Our data can be used to improve the mass rearing of mealworms for an efficient production of food and feed.
ISSN:2075-4450
2075-4450
DOI:10.3390/insects13040321