The effect of an initial high-quality feeding regime on the survival of Gryllus bimaculatus (black cricket) on bio-waste

Abstract

Previous studies have led to claims that insects can offer a solution to several food security hurdles, one of which is the processing of food waste. However, although it has been demonstrated that some insects survive well on bio-waste (e.g. Hermetia illucens), no study, has to date, demonstrated success rearing species more commonly used for human consumption, such as crickets, on biowaste from hatching. This trial aimed to establish if the black cricket, Gryllus bimaculatus, can be reared successfully on bio-waste from hatching. Since, in other livestock sectors it has been established that nutritional requirements vary with age and that diet must be altered accordingly to achieve the best growth, e.g. chick feed to layer mash in chickens, the present trial used a similar feeding regime of an initially high-quality feed to see if this allowed the subsequent survival of crickets on low quality bio-waste products. Pilot trials have demonstrated poor to no survival on beer waste and cow manure and mid-level survival on unprocessed vegetable waste with chicken feed as the control. Based on this, feed regimes of either 1 or 2 weeks high quality feed (chicken feed) and then either 2 or 3 weeks of low quality feed (beer waste or vegetable waste) were tested. Results showed that even 1 week of high quality feed makes a significant difference in survival and end size of crickets subsequently reared on low-quality bio-waste.