Stage-specific microbiota transitions throughout black soldier fly ontogeny
Microb Ecol 89(1), 41 · Bacterial communities shift from Enterobacteriaceae in larvae to Burkholderiaceae on eggs, which matters for egg laying in mass rearing.
We followed the bacterial communities of black soldier flies from larva to egg, including the gut, haemolymph, ovipositor and egg surface. Larvae were dominated by Enterobacteriaceae (Morganella, Escherichia, Proteus), whereas all egg samples were dominated by Burkholderiaceae, with less diverse communities. The dominant taxa persisted across life stages, but the composition changed most strongly before egg laying. Knowing which bacteria sit on the egg surface may help to boost egg production and simplify the harvest of larvae.
