Life Tables of <em>Hermetia illucens</em> (Linnaeus, 1758) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) on Different Foods

In this study, the effects of different food types on life table parameters of Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) were investigated. Five different foods, namely Tomato, Banana, Yoghurt, Apple and Corn meals were put in 10 cm petri dishes separately and then 500 newly laid eggs were transferred into each petri dishes. Experiments with larvae were carried out at 25 o C, 50% RH, and 16:8 L:D photoperiod. Temperature and humidity levels were switched to 29 o C, and 60%, respectively after pupation to facilitate adult eclosion. According to results, the longest and the shortest development time of H. illucens from egg to adult were found on Yoghurt (77.67 days) and Corn flour (42.18 days), respectively. The highest mortality rate was found as 94.8% on Corn meal, while the lowest mortality rate was calculated as 65.8% on Banana. The highest number of eggs were recorded in the females feed on Banana (1426 eggs), and followed by the ones which feed on Yoghurt (1262 eggs), Corn meal (384) and apples (205 eggs). on the contrary, no eggs were obtained from the females which developed on Tomatoes life tables could only be constructed for the individuals which feeding on Banana and Yoghurt since females which developed on other food types did not lay any eggs. The difference between the intrinsic rate of increase (rm) on Banana and Yoghurt was found to be statistically nonsignificant (p<0.05). The intrinsic rate of increasing was the highest on Banana (0.022 females / female / day). The net production rate (Ro) was the highest (2.891 female / female / generation) on Banana, while its difference from Yoghurt was statistically nonsignificant (p<0.05).