Synergistic role of egg‐associated bacteria in promoting egg hatching of black soldier fly ( Hermetia illucens L.)

Abstract The black soldier fly ( Hermetia illucens L.) is a critical species for organic waste bioconversion, yet the microbial ecology regulating its embryonic development remains obscure. This study investigated the diversity, temporal dynamics, and functional role of the egg‐associated microbiota in black soldier fly hatching. Surface sterilization experiments revealed that the presence of surface microbes significantly facilitates hatching, as sterilization reduced hatching rates from 77.06% to 33.72%. Notably, this reduction was substantially reversed by re‐inoculation with native egg‐derived bacteria. High‐throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing demonstrated dynamic temporal shifts within the bacterial community during the 72 h incubation period, which was consistently dominated by the phyla Proteobacteria and Firmicutes. Functional prediction via PICRUSt indicated that the abundance of genes encoding chorion‐degrading enzymes, including chitinases and proteases, fluctuated synchronously with critical hatching stages. Furthermore, culture‐dependent screening identified Bacillus and Staphylococcus as key hatching promoters. Co‐inoculation of these two strains resulted in synergistic improvements in hatching success compared to single‐strain treatments. These findings suggest that specific members of the egg‐associated microbiota function cooperatively to assist hatching, likely through enzymatic modification of the chorion. This study provides new insights into early‐stage insect–microbe interactions and offers a potential microbial management strategy for optimizing black soldier fly mass rearing.