The Role of Gut Microbiomes in Black Soldier Fly Larvae: Insights from Diverse Dietary Sources

The project investigates the bacterial and fungal community composition within the guts of black soldier fly larvae (BSFL, Hermetia illucens) reared on different diets, including industrial side streams and chicken feed as a control. A combination of culture-independent and culture-dependent methods were used for analysis. The results of this investigation provide insight into the role of the gut microbiome and highlight the potential of BSFL to convert various substrates into valuable biomass, thereby contributing to sustainability.