Trophic eggs

Trophic eggs: A symbol of hope, resilience, and the timeless connection between generations.

Egg production is an energetically expensive process and that unfertilized eggs will not hatch; females waste a lot of energy if they lay unfertilized eggs. So, why lay these eggs?

When these unfertilized eggs are eaten by young larvae, these eggs are defined as so-called “trophic eggs,” which function is not reproduction but nutrition (a parental care). In other words, trophic eggs serve as food for offspring hatched from fertilized eggs.

Black Soldier fly lay eggs close to their food source. We wonder if these eggs are partly unfertilized due to industrial various egg hatching ratio (50-80%). Whether these unhatched eggs are derived from parental care to provide a source of nourishment for the hatching larvae is unknown. If our assumption is right, this act of generosity ensures the newborns have a head start in life, granting them strength, resilience, and the best chances of survival in their early stage.
#insectschool #blacksoldierfly #breeding #love