Evaluation of Sterilized Artificial Diets for Mass Rearing the Lucilia sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

The impact of six sterilized diets (blood-yeast agar diet, decomposed beef liver diet, powdered beef liver diet, powdered fish diet, milk-based diet, and a chemically defined diet) on Lucilia sericata (Meigen) larvae reared at three densities (10 larvae, 20 larvae, and 40 larvae on 20 g diet) was determined in comparison to fresh beef liver as a control. Specifically, the effects of these diets on the following traits of L. sericata were measured: 1) pupal weight, 2) pupation percentage, 3) eclosion percentage, as well as 4) adult longevity. The experiment included two trials with five technical replicates in each. Lucilia sericata did not successfully develop on the powdered fish, milk-based, or chemically defined diets. Overall, the liver-based diets (decomposed and powdered) resulted in the most similar fly development to the fresh beef liver. Larvae reared on blood-yeast agar diet resulted in a significantly (increased 20.56% ± 8.09%) greater pupation rate than those reared on the decomposed and powdered beef liver diets. Pupae from larvae fed the fresh beef liver were significantly larger (6.27 ± 1.01 mg, 4.05 ± 0.94 mg larger, respectively) than those reared on the blood-yeast agar diet, decomposed beef liver, and powdered beef liver diets. Overall, results revealed larvae reared on sterilized liver-based diets resulted in traits similar to those raised on fresh beef liver. Owing to low costs the sterile liver-based diets could be produced and used with limited infrastructure and economic incomes.