Clanis bilineata tsingtauica Mell, 1922 (Lepidoptera, Sphingidae), also known as “Doudan” in China, is an important pest in legume crops. As an edible insect, it is most commonly consumed in Jiangsu, Shandong, and Henan Provinces. Mass rearing requires access to large numbers of eggs. This stage, however, is of short duration and supplies are frequently not sufficient for insect production. Therefore, we identified the cold storage conditions for C. bilineata tsingtauica that can effectively prolong the storage time of the eggs, to make supplies more readily available. We found that when stored at 4 °C, only 7.5% of the eggs hatched after 7 days, while at 10 °C the hatch rate was 78.3%. At 15 °C, the egg hatch rate remained at this same level (77.8% even after 14–20 days). Considering various combinations, we found that optimal egg hatch occurred if eggs were stored at 15 °C for 11 days, and then held at 15–20 °C under dark conditions. Stored as described above, the egg hatch rate was not significantly different from the control group (at 28 °C). These conditions allow for easier mass rearing of C. bilineata tsingtauica by providing a stable supply of eggs.

Mineral deficiencies result in a variety of health issues in humans, and alternative sources of minerals are greatly needed to address this problem. Clanis bilineata tsingtauica larvae are nutrient-rich and are prepared using several different cooking methods in China. In this study, the concentrations of ten different mineral elements were determined in the larvae of C. bilineata tsingtauica. The guts of larvae that had wriggled in soil contained abundant macro- and micronutrients at 4,800 and 271.68 mg/kg, respectively. Larvae that wriggled in soil contained high levels of phytic acid (1707.07 μg/g) and had the lowest mineral bioavailability. Expression studies indicated that genes related to phytic acid highly expressed in the hemolymph of larvae that had not wriggled in soil. This study shows that C. bilineata tsingtauica larvae are vital sources of minerals and that long-established dietary habits have a scientific basis, thus providing insight into the use of this alternative food source to improve human health.