Hermetia illucens 5373309 222636510 2008-06-30T11:09:39Z 68.219.131.139 [[WP:UNDO|Undid]] revision 221723783 by [[Special:Contributions/68.39.133.212|68.39.133.212]] ([[User talk:68.39.133.212|talk]]) {{Taxobox | name = Black Soldier Fly | image = Wasp 1454.jpg | image_width = 250px | regnum = [[Animalia]] | phylum = [[Arthropoda]] | classis = [[Insecta]] | ordo = [[Diptera]] | subordo = [[Brachycera]] | infraordo = [[Stratiomyomorpha]] | familia = [[Stratiomyidae]] | subfamilia = [[Hermetiinae]] | genus = ''[[Hermetia]]'' | species = '''''H. illucens''''' | binomial = ''Hermetia illucens'' | binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], 1758 }} The '''Black Soldier Fly''' ('''''Hermetia illucens''''') is a common and widespread member of the family [[Stratiomyidae]], and quite possibly the best-known species in the entire infraorder. There are several reasons for this: *The larvae are common [[scavenger]]s in [[compost heap]]s *The larvae can be destructive pests in [[honeybee]] [[beehive (beekeeping)|hive]]s *The larvae are used in [[manure]] management, for both [[house fly]] control and reduction in manure volume, and the mature larvae and prepupae raised in manure management operations are themselves useful as feed supplements<ref>{{cite journal | author= Sheppard, D.C. | title=Large-scale Feed Production from Animal Manures with a Non-Pest Native Fly | journal=Food Insects Newsletter | year=1992 | volume=5|issue=2}}</ref> *The larvae are found in association with carrion, and have significant potential for use in [[forensic entomology]]<ref>{{cite journal | author=Lord, W.D., Goff, M.L., Adkins, T.R., and Haskell, N.H. | title=The black soldier fly ''Hermetia illucens'' (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) as a potential measure of human postmortem interval: observations and case histories | journal=J. Forensic Sci. | year=1994 | pages=215–222 | volume=39}}</ref>. *The larvae may sometimes cause intestinal [[myiasis]] or pseudomyiasis in humans. See this case in [[Costa Rica]][http://www.scielo.cl/pdf/parasitol/v60n3-4/art10.pdf ] *The larvae are sometimes sold as [[live pet food]] under the names '''Phoenix Worms''' and '''Soldier Grubs''' for owners of [[herp]]s and [[tropical fish]]. They store high levels of [[calcium]] for future pupation which is beneficial to herps<ref name="Pavia">"The Incredible Edible Worm", by Audrey Pavia, Reptiles Magazine, July, 2007</ref>. Phoenix worms were first developed as a feeder species by Insect Science Resource. The larvae range in size from 1/8 to 3/4 of an inch (3 to 19 millimeters). Although they can be stored at [[room temperature]] for several weeks, their longest [[shelf life]] is achieved at 50-60 degrees [[Fahrenheit]] (10 to 15 degrees [[Celsius]]). The adult fly is a [[mimicry|mimic]], very close in size, color, and appearance to the [[organ pipe mud dauber]] wasp and its relatives. The mimicry of this particular kind of wasp is especially enhanced in that the fly's [[Antenna (biology)|antennae]] are elongated and wasp-like, the fly's hind [[tarsus|tarsi]] are pale, as are the wasp's, and the fly has two small transparent "windows" in the basal [[abdomen|abdominal]] segments that make it look like the fly has a narrow "wasp waist". ==References== <references/> ==External links== * [http://www.phoenixworm.com Insect Science Resource website] [[Category:Flies]] [[Category:Pet foods]]