Enhanced precision with determining thermal responses of the black soldier fly: Applications in forensic and agriculture

The purpose of this presentation is to discuss factors that impact data interpretation when conducting behavior experiments. The goal is to provide criteria that may enable researchers to reduce bias. Thermal preference experiments are commonly conducted to determine the optimal temperature ranges for insects and  thermal minimum and maximum temperatures. Knowing the thermal range is important for applications in sustainable agriculture as well as forensic entomology. The black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens, is a key species mass produced for use as animal feed. In order to optimize, waste reduction and biomass generation, knowing these parameters is key. The same can be said for forensic entomology where the minimum and maximum ranges are important factors to consider in casework for determining time of colonization as related to minimum postmortem interval given certain assumptions. Many different types of behavior experiments are performed, such as examining insect movement on a thermal gradient, rearing at varying larval temperatures, and placing insect containers in a water bath. However, these experiments often have limitations in the thermal gradients shape and design, insect behavior confounding factors, and observer bias, and insect interaction with researchers.  Interpreting insect behavior data can be challenging especially when considering the temperatures the insect experiences. The combination of genetic and physiological responses can be used to help overcome the shortcomings in these types of experiments. Taking into account behavioral as well a genetic information and gene expression can help improve these types of behavior studies and increase the quality of data obtained.