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Integrating Life Cycle Assessment into Insect Biofactory Systems: Environmental Evaluation of Habrobracon hebetor
Alex Lima Zanotelli1,2, Rosana de Cassia de Souza Schneider1, Rafael Martins da Silva2
1Environmental Technology Graduation Program, Univ of Santa Cruz Do Sul, UNISC, Santa Cruz Do Sul, RS, Brazil.
Neotropical Entomology
|December 23, 2025
Summary
Biological control using Habrobracon hebetor offers a lower environmental impact than chemical pesticides for stored product pest management. Optimizing insect biofactory processes can further enhance sustainability.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Entomology
- Sustainable Agriculture
Background:
- Stored product pests pose significant challenges to food security.
- Conventional chemical control methods, like phosphine fumigation, have environmental drawbacks.
- Insect biofactories offer a biological control alternative.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the environmental impact of an insect biofactory producing Habrobracon hebetor for pest control.
- To compare the environmental performance of biological control with chemical control.
- To assess the effect of feed reuse in larval production on environmental footprint.
Main Methods:
- Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) using SimaPro 9.5.1.2 software and the Environmental Footprint 3.1 method.
- Inventory analysis of energy, materials, and waste from the UNISC Biofactory.
- Comparison of Habrobracon hebetor production with phosphine fumigation and feed reuse scenarios.
Main Results:
- Electricity consumption and larval diet (wheat flour, yeast) are primary impact sources.
- Reusing larval diet reduced acidification and land use impacts.
- Habrobracon hebetor showed lower environmental impacts than phosphine, except for water use.
Conclusions:
- Biological control with Habrobracon hebetor is an environmentally favorable alternative to chemical agents.
- Process optimization, energy efficiency, and renewable energy sources can further reduce biofactory environmental footprint.
- Insect biofactories present a sustainable approach to stored product pest management.
