Research

The Association Between Olfactory Stimulation and Frass Production in Banded Crickets, Gryllodes sigillatus

The Association Between Olfactory Stimulation and Frass Production in Banded Crickets, Gryllodes sigillatus

Our goal in this study was to examine the effects of odor on frass, or feces, production in crickets. Cricket frass contains nutrients that can serve as a fertilizer for soil, so we were interested in determining if there is a way to increase frass production. The results of our study showed that neither the sweet orange nor peppermint scent increased frass production among the crickets. The findings of this study may be significant for commercial cricket vendors, as these companies could generate income from frass converted to fertilizer instead of sending it to waste.