Growth performance, conversion and survival rates of Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) reared on various livestock diets

The yellow mealworm Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) started recently to be used as a feed and food to replace traditional products. The optimization of mass rearing conditions and the choice of appropriate diets are the most important factors governing the production of these insects and secondary products. The aim of this study was to study the performance of T. molitor on six affordable animal feed diets (two different dairy cow feeds, calf starter feed, chick starter and grower feeds and wheat bran) in addition to a control diet based on wheat bran and starter feed for Chick (60:40 ratio). Larvae showed the highest mass gain and growth rate when fed on wheat bran only. The control and the wheat bran diets were the most consumed by T. molitor larvae, while the other feeds were less appreciated. Conversion and survival rates did not vary significantly between the diets. The results should be taken into consideration for large scale mass-rearing of T. molitor.