Effects of Tenebrio molitor L. Larva Decomposing Polystyrene Foam

Tenebrio molitor L. Larva can digest many kinds of organic waste，transform it into organic manure with reduced levels of contaminants. The focus of this study was to investigate the digestion of larva on polystyrene foam. Using four kinds of feeding methods, foam (Group A), wheat bran (Group B), foam and wheat bran mixture (Group C) and hunger (Group D), this paper studied the effects of the foam on growth rate, mortality and nutritional component of Tenebrio molitor L. larva and its feces. The results showed that: (1) The order of growth rate of larva is: Group C> Group B> Group A> Group D，the growth rate of larva of group C is highest; the order of larval mortality is: Group D> Group A, Group B and Group C; the order of larva nitrogen (crude protein) content is not affected by fodders; the order of larva phosphorus content is: Group A> Group C, Group D> Group B (P Group D> Group A. (2)The larva feces nitrogen and phosphorus contents in Group D were higher than it in Groups A, Group B and Group C. Polystyrene foam can not be single used as fodder of Tenebrio molitor L. larva, it can be used as supplementary fodder to improve utilization ratio of wheat bran and growth rate of larva, the nutritional components of larva are not obviously different with normal fodder when adding foam into fodder.