Management practices affecting lesser mealworm larvae (Alphitobius diaperinus) associated microbial community in a broiler house and after relocating with poultry litter into pastureland

Lesser mealworms often abound in the houses used to raise broiler chickens. Previous studies have investigated pathogenic microorganisms associated with the larvae, but a more thorough study relating microbiome changes due to management procedures and flock rotations was needed. Additionally, there is a question of what microbiota are transferred into the environment when the litter, in which larvae reside, is piled in pastureland for use as fertilizer, and where interactions with the soil and other fauna can occur. This study chronicled the bacterial community structure of larvae in-house and found it to be relatively constant despite flock rotations and management disruptions, specifically cleanout procedures and the addition of new birds or bedding. In contrast, once removed from the controlled poultry house environment and placed into open pastureland, the substantial microbial diversity brought with the larvae showed greater fluctuation in community structure with environmental conditions, one of which was rainfall. Surprisingly, these larvae, survived at least 19 weeks, so the potential for moving larval associated microbes into the environment needs further assessment to minimize the risk of relocating foodborne pathogens and also to assess the microbes generating metabolites that have benefits to plant growth when using the litter as a fertilizer.