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

• Published in: Scientific reports 2019-08, Vol.9 (1), p.11403-13, Article 11403
• Main Authors: Bimbilé Somda, Nanwintoum Séverin, Maïga, Hamidou, Mamai, Wadaka, Yamada, Hanano, Ali, Adel, Konczal, Anna, Gnankiné, Olivier, Diabaté, Abdoulaye, Sanon, Antoine, Dabiré, Kounbobr Roch, Gilles, Jérémie R. L., Bouyer, Jérémy
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 631/1647/1513; 692/699; Aedes - physiology; Aedes aegypti; Aedes albopictus; Animal Feed; Animals; Aquatic insects; Body size; Breeding - methods; Diet; Female; Genetic control; Humanities and Social Sciences; Insects; Laboratory Animal Science - methods; Larva - physiology; Larvae; Livestock; Male; Mass rearing; Mosquito Control - methods; Mosquitoes; multidisciplinary; Pest Control, Biological - methods; Powder; Protein sources; Rearing; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Simuliidae; Yeasts
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-47817-x

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.