F.T.A.:
“The trick is to cull them before they transform into mature flies. That way the protein rich fly larvae can be converted into protein products for use in animal feed or industrial use, for example as an ingredient in paint, glue, lamp shades and furniture covers.”
Just a matter of time before some hamburger joint figures out a way to market these larvae as ‘protein enriched’ patties and to claim that as earth-friendly cuisine
These larvae are known to reduce the volume of organic waste, including manure, and stabilize plant nutrients within their bodies.
In addition to their role in composting, soldier fly larvae can be used as a protein source for animals, including chickens and fish, and their frass (excrement) can serve as a nutrient-rich fertilizer.
They are also beneficial in reducing the population of other nuisance flies by consuming their larvae.
While soldier flies are generally beneficial, they can sometimes outcompete earthworms in composting systems, leading to issues where they may take over the compost bin and affect the composting process.
However, with proper management, such as adjusting the moisture levels and ensuring a balance between green and brown materials, it is possible to maintain a healthy composting environment that includes both soldier flies and earthworms.
Overall, soldier flies contribute positively to the composting process by accelerating decomposition and converting organic waste into valuable resources.
Most species of larvae are 60+ % protein, complete protein containing all 9 essential amino acids. This is twice as much as beef by mass. The remainder is lipids and carbohydrates.
Feed trials have all been hugely successful , especially with fish feeds. Fish farms must feed 60-80% protein based feeds to their predatory salmon,bass,trout and tuna. This protein is nearly always fish meal based off wild caught fish. DNA testing has shown this meal is not “trash” or bait fish its first grade human edible fish being ground up for profits. Every Kcal in fish meal is one taken from the wild and it takes 3-5 times in mass of feed to farmed fish output. It should be immediately apparent to anyone with above room temp IQ this is a bad idea. It’s been proven you can swap 100% of the fish meal out for larvae proteins and lipids. This is a good idea then as you take food wastes heading for the landfill and turn them into high grade proteins for feed.
Feed trials with chickens and pigs equally as successful here again nearly 100% of the protein needed by either can be larvae based. Little surprise to anyone who has ever raised pigs or chickens they attack and eat bugs with vigor. Pigs will eat the manure maggots and all with glee. You turn the hogs out to a pasture that had cattle on it a few days before and the first thing they do is eat the manure poles and fly maggots to the last scrap then they go rooting for grubs and other creepy crawly things to nosh on. Chickens same same they will attack a manure pile for the maggots with velociraptor like efficiency.
Not everything is a Qtard, month breather conspiracy to force the plebs to eatzzzbugs. 40% of all food is thrown away as waste it’s abysmal humans waste so much. We should be upcycling and recycling as much as possible.
Probably black soldier flies- which are actually kind of cute, unlike house flies. They are slender and look like little black wasps more than they do flies. Their maggots don’t look gross like the tiny white maggots of houseflies and blowflies do. They look more like a dry slug or flattened brown caterpillar...and are great fish bait as well as prized high protein chicken food.
Most importantly, they work fast- almost instantly consuming anything, including houseful maggots, and leaving no odor. They are especially good at cleaning up aviaries and moldy feed, and composting it into great soil.
Good news! Now I don’t have to scrub out the garbage cans anymore.
Yikes, out of Africa.
Black Soldier Flies: Mostly Beneficial
Snip...."They do have a downside in some situations. Unfortunately, although Black Soldier Fly larvae and red worms both like the same food, the fly larvae are extremely active, like warm, moist conditions, and tend to make the soil acidic which is not good for worms, so if you have worm bins it is prudent to check them from time to time and remove any Black Soldier Fly larvae that may be present.
The frass that black soldier flies produce makes a clean, odor-free compost, but in my experience the food conversion into the body of the insect is so efficient, there is not a great volume of compost remaining! Dried larvae may also be pulverized and used as fertilizer."
In addition, the larvae are good chicken food! (And, I imagine, Fish food!)
Black Soldier Flies as Chicken Feed
**On a down note, since removing most of he invasive Japanese honeysuckle on my property, I have only found 2 woolly bear caterpillers! (Isabella Tiger Moth, Pyrrharctia isabella.)