Assessment of Diptera: Stratiomyidae, genus Hermetia illucens (L., 1758) using electron microscopy

Black Soldier Flies (Hermetia illucens) are common in the western hemisphere as inhabitants of nutrient rich ecosystems such as manur piles and compost heaps. They pass through a five stage lifecycle i.e. larva, prepupae, pupa, and adult. The adults, 15 to 20 mm in length) have no mouth parts and therefore do not bite nor do they sting and are not known to transmit any diseases. The larva, are voraceous consumers and have been shown to be an effective maneur management tool. In this study a Scanning Electron Microscope is used to analyze and document the anatomy of both the larval and adult for of this insect. Changes in each step of their life cycle were noted as the insect grew and matures. Keywords: Diptera, Stratiomyidae, Hermetia illucens, black soldier fly, biology, Scanning Electron Microscope 1. Introduction Black soldier flies (Musca leucopa) are found throughout the Western Hemisphere in habiting nutrient rich ecossystmes such as manure piles and compost heaps. Order Diptera, family Stratiomyidae, genus Hermetia Illucens (Linnaeus), most known as Black soldier fly [1], had their name changed over the time as showed below: Musca illucens Linnaeus, 1758.
 ST? [NRS]: “South America”. Musca leucopa Linnaeus, 1767. ST 1? [LSL] “America”. Hermetia rufiventris Fabricius, 1805. ST 2 ♀[UZMC] ”America meridionali”. Hermetia pellucens Macquart, 1834: explication des planches 4: Planche V, Fig. 11. Incorrect subsequent spelling. Hermetia nigrifacies Bigot, 1879. LT♂ [BMNH, des McFadden 1972c:257]: Mexico. Hermetia mucens Riley & Howard, 1889. Incorrect subsequent spelling. Hermetia illucens var. nigritibia Enderlein, 1914c: 9. HT? [PAN]: Brazil, Santa Catarina. Hermetia illucens: Copello, 1926. Incorrect subsequent spelling. They are common to North and South America and the Australian region from Samoa to Hawaii as showed in Figure 1. In the continental United States, Hermetia illucens commonly breeds in outdoor toilets, poorly managed compost and in poultry manure. Larvae occur in greatest densities in moist rather than wet or dry media. They are scavengers and thrive on many kinds of decaying organic matter. Though they may be a nuisance, soldier flies do not have functional mouthparts, so they do not bite and are not known to transmit any diseases. In fact, this species has the beneficial effect of rendering the breeding media less suitable for the production of houseflies [2].