Factors influencing mating and oviposition of black soldier flies (Diptera: stratiomyidae) in a colony

Most information on the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (L.), is limited to its use as a biological control and waste management agent. Little is known about its mating and oviposition activities. Latency from emergence to mating and oviposition for colony-reared black soldier flies placed in a 1.5 x 1.5 x 3 m nylon cage located in a greenhouse was determined. Sixty-nine percent of mating occurred 2 d after eclosion and 70% of oviposition 4 d after eclosion. Time of day and light intensity significantly correlated with mating (r(2) = 0.49; P < 0.0001), while time of day, temperature, and humidity significantly correlated with oviposition (r(2) = 0.58; P < 0.0001). Latency after emergence significantly correlated with mating (r(2) = 0.99; P < 0.0001) and oviposition (r(2) = 0.99; P < 0.0001). A second experiment was conducted to examine oviposition preference of the black soldier fly. Adults were allowed to oviposit in Gainesville house fly, Musca domestica L., larval media with and without 5-d-old black soldier fly larvae. Based on sign non-parametric t-tests, numbers of egg clutches deposited in each treatment were not significantly different.