Metagenomic screening of reared Gryllodes sigillatus

Here, we screened for potential pathogens infecting a colony of reared Gryllodes sigillatus crickets. Symptoms present included high, intermittent mortality among late-instar nymphs and adults, a strong putrid odor within rearing containers, milky white hemolymph which appeared iridescent under illuminated magnification, increased cuticle and tissue frailty, and underdeveloped or absent ovaries in some adult females. We performed metagenomic sequencing of both hemolmph and dissected guts of adult G. sigillatus crickets and found a high abundance of an iridovirus (Liz CrIV). These results add to the foundational research needed to increase our understanding of the pathology of mass-reared insects and ultimately develop the prevention, mitigation, and intervention strategies needed for economical production of insects as a commodity.