| dc.description.abstract | The increasing human population in the world has led to a widening gap between the production and consumption of animal proteins. Livestock protein production is hindered by the scarcity of arable land, climate change, lack of water, prolonged lifecycle, droughts, and poverty. Consequently, protein insecurity is a major concern worldwide. This has prompted the search for alternative food sources such as edible insects including crickets. However, utilization of edible crickets in Kenya is hindered by limited information on cricket species composition, appropriate feed substrate, nutrition content and optimal temperature for mass production. This study was aimed at assessing cricket species composition, feed substrates, optimal temperature and nutritional content of edible cricket Scapsipedus icipe in Kenya. Randomize block experimental research design was used. Data were analysed by one-way and two-way ANOVA tests, LSD and means were separated by StudentNewmanKeul’s test in R statistical package. The most abundant cricket species were S. icipe, Teleogryllus pulchriceps, T. commodus Modicogryllus sp. and Teleogryllus marabu. The use of wheat as feed substrate resulted in crickets with the shortest developmental time, high survivorship, and growth. Diet D6 (25% wheat bran + 25% soybean meal + 25% Fish offal meal + 25% pumpkin leaves meal resulted in crickets with the highest protein content (63.6%). Diet type and temperature had a significant influence on the developmental time, growth, survivorship, and reproduction parameters of S. icipe. The optimum temperature for growth performance and reproduction of S. icipe was 30 °C. The diet and developmental stage also had an impact on the nutritional composition of S. icipe. The preadult cricket nymphs had the lowest amount of fat compared to the adults but had the highest amount of crude protein including amino acids. Scapsipedus icipe is a promising edible cricket for mass rearing. As a result, a concerted effort is required to strengthen the value-chains for S. icipe to harness their full potential in fighting malnutrition, poverty, and the promotion of food security | en_US |