Black Soldier Fly Farming

Jones

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I was first introduced to Black Soldier Flies when I was doing some work on a friends organic free range chicken farm. They still had to supplementary feed their chickens, but couldn't source any chicken feed that didn't have GMO soy in it and so they had looked into alternate feed sources that they could add to their operation. When my friend told me about them, I didn't know what she was talking about, but after I looked them up later I recognised them and knew that they were common in gardens.

Some time later I set up a compost bin in my mothers ornamental garden and some wild Black Soldier Flies were attracted to it.

Unlike worms, they do OK on a broader range of scraps and aren't as fussy about acid or moisture levels meaning that you can throw organic stuff into the compost that you ordinarily wouldn't, like citrus peels and meat scraps or bones. An advantage over worms is that just before the larvae pupate, they harvest themselves if the compost bin is set up correctly because they go looking for drier conditions so the larvae are easier to collect. They still produce 'worm tea' that can be used as liquid fertiliser and castings that can be used for soil improvement.

They don't eat as an adult, only drink, so they don't hang around the house or contaminate food - they only lay their eggs near rotting organic material and stay away from fresh stuff. I have also read that where there is a good population of Black Soldier Flies, house flies and blow flies are reduced in the environment. They are a much more placid fly and don't buzz around your face.

Some basic information:

Black soldier fly life cycle

If you haven’t reared the BSF before, it is essential to understand the whole life cycle of this beautiful species as well as their ideal environment for rearing. There are 5 stages in the BSF life cycle: Egg > Larvae > Pre-pupa > Pupa > Adult.

  • Eggs – The incubation takes around 3 days with the temperature 27 to 30 Celsius.
  • Larvae – the duration for this stage can last from 4 weeks to 5 months. The environment is the key factor affecting larvae life such as temperature, the source of food. The optimal temperature is in the range of 25 – 30 celsius.
  • Pre-pupa – This happens at the late stage of larvae, the only way to differentiate is the colour change to the dark brown and the larvae start migrating to the dry – darken site for the pupa stage.
  • Pupa – At this stage, the larvae completely turn to the black colour, all the activity will be stopped and they completely stop moving. The pupa stage will last for about one to two weeks.
  • Adult – After emergence from the pupa stage, it takes a bit of time for BSF to unfold the wing. Mating takes about 2 days after and another 2 days before egg laying.

Black Soldier Fly eggs production preparation
Firstly, we will assume that you are not able to catch the wildBSF. In this case, the list of items that we think you need to prepare:

  • black-solider-fly-egg-production-australia-1.jpg
    Cardboard
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    Wooden Plate
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  • BSF pupa – black larvae
  • Small Net Cage – you can buy a mosquito net for the quick easy setup.
  • Cardboard or Non-processed wood plate – The chemical in the wood can be harmful to the BLS. However, we highly recommend the wood material for better efficiency in mass-collecting.
  • Get some BSFLs or BSF eggs from local – if you couldn’t find any luck in your local area, we recommend to get the Pupa larvae (black larvae) because they have the highest chance to survive during the long shipment distance, if you would get the eggs or larvae from the local, it would be great.
  • A small amount of fruit waste for higher efficient attraction
  • Natural sunlight from a window or skylight with the humidity range from 30 to 90%.


The setup
In nature, the adult female BSF lays their eggs near a potential food source. Unlike other species of flies, the female BSF doesn’t lay their egg directly on the source of food.

If you got some BSF pupas – black larvae, leave them in the dark area for the emergence. The matting only incurs when there is natural light or artificial light with lightwave from 400nm to 700nm. In other words, the BSF need some sort of light has UV energy. With this in mind, we recommend having the natural sunlight for the breeding process.

The photos can be worth thousands of words, you can have a look at our set up:

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black solider fly egg production setup
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Woody plates for BSF laying eggs
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Putting the woody stick above the source of food

Black Soldier Fly breading
The ability of the Black Soldier Fly (BSF) to convert waste into high-quality nutrient biomass opens the new alternative for the sustainable food source for animal feed. When we have any species breeding, there are three important factors that affect survivorship, growth, and development of that species, particularly the BSF. Those are the environment, food, and water. Let’s dive deep into the environment – the temperature this time so we can better understand what is the optimal conditions for mass production the BSF.


The ideal temperature for Black Soldier Fly
The researchers conducted the experiments from the temperature from 10 to 42°C with the relative humidity 70%. The temperature effect on the longevity of the BSF each stage. Bellows are the summary of what they found out:

Egg – Incubated at 15°C was 14 days, significant higher than incubated at 35°C which was only 2.60 days. If eggs were at 10°C to 42°C, they would completely not liveable.

Larvae – 62 days at 15 °C , around 12 days at 30°C and 16 days at 35 °C.

Pre-pupa – Longest development time was around 84 days at 15°C and shortest time 9 days at 30°C

Overall, the development time ranged between 28 days at 30°C to 184 days at 15°C. There is a clear pattern shows that BSF larvae growths were slower when the environment falls below 20°C.

The highest number of eggs was found at 30°C and significantly affected at 15°C and 37°C.


Summary
From the above result, now we know the ideal temperature for BSF mass production is around 25°C to 30°C, while 35°C is very unfavourable. For the transportation of the live BSF larvae or egg, the storage temperature at 20°C is ideal to increase the longer life span and avoid the early egg incubation during the shipment.

Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) provides a high value and sustainable source of protein for the poultry industry, other animals and will continue to do so in the future. It will also contribute tremendous value outside the agriculture industry such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions.


Is the Black soldier fly larvae safe to be an animal feed?
BSF contains up to 40% protein and 30% of fat and protein is one of the essential for the development and growth of the animals. There are numerous studies around the world have shown that BSFL can safely be used as a protein source to replace fishmeal which currently put a lot of pressure on our oceans.

In a research on the topic ” if the BSFL meal can replace fish meal in diets of sea-water Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)”, the researcher found that replacing fish meal with BSFL did not affect the growth performance. The outcome also indicated that BSFL is a nutritionally appropriate source of protein for Atlantic salmon. In the other journal article from Springer Science, the results suggest that replacing of fish meal with BSFL was not only not affect the growth performance, but also the body weight gains significantly.


Organic chicken farm with Black Soldier Fly
We have successfully farmed in the small scale of the free-range chicken and quail in Viet Nam with BSFL, this results in saving up to 80% of feeding cost. Our product can be labelled as an organic chicken because the chickens are feed with the organic food, receive no antibiotics and have decent outdoor space. If you haven’t feed your animal with BSFL before, we are confident to recommend you try BSFL as the stockfeed and you will see BSFL’s benefits.

Are Black soldier flies harmful?
Black-Sodier-Flies-mating-Darwin-Australia.jpg

Are Black soldier flies harmful?
The adult black soldier fly does not have mouthparts and does not feed upon waste. They do not bite, and as only the larvae feed, are not associated with transmitting any diseases.

Where are black soldier flies live?
Black soldier flies can be seen in bright, sunlit areas, resting on nearby structures or vegetation and frequenting flowers of the daisy and carrot families. They are one of the most beneficial flies in existence and are considered non-pests.

Here's a basic DIY Black Soldier Fly composter - I've seen much simpler plans than this:


 
Here's a larger commercial Black Soldier Fly farming set up. As a commercial venture, more work is done to provide consistent year round temperatures and conditions for the flies.


Here's a smaller scale venture in Africa.

 
I had a BSFL set up for several years when we had chickens. Great food supplement and you do get those dark yellow yolks.
 
I had a BSFL set up for several years when we had chickens. Great food supplement and you do get those dark yellow yolks.

Before I posted the subject I did a search on the forum to check if BSF had already been discussed. All I found was a single comment of yours where you'd mentioned them. I didn't realise that you'd actually farmed them!

I'd be interested in setting something up if I had chickens.
 
but couldn't source any chicken feed that didn't have GMO soy in it
Healthy Traditions (formerly Tropical Traditions) is probably the only place to purchase nonGMO soy free eggs in the U.S. They also sell pastured chickens supplemented with their nonGMO Cocofeed which unfortunately is not currently for sale to the public:

1. Do you sell your Cocofeed?

No. We are not a feed company, and feed sources will vary depending on one's location in the US. We are working to have some feed mills across the country carry the coconut pulp so that they can mix feeds like this for purchase. Once we know of some feed mills carrying the coconut pulp, we will pass those references on.

2. Why do your pastured chickens cost so much compared to other chickens

A. There is no comparison to chickens raised on pasture and Cocofeed and other commercial chickens. Tropical Traditions spent more than two years in research and development in developing Cocofeed, and our poultry research continues. There are no other chickens on the market we are aware of that are raised on a special formula that contains no soy and something like Cocofeed. We developed the Cocofeed ourselves, and the chickens do contain small amounts of lauric acid as a result.

Frequently Asked Questions
One of those is our Pastured Poultry chickens raised on Cocofeed. When we began looking for a good source of chicken raised on pasture, we found that all the organic chickens available to us were fed a high concentration of soybeans, and this concerned us. So after two years of research, we finally came up with an organic feed that was soy-free and utilized the coconut pulp that was left over after the coconut oil was extracted from it. In May 2006 we introduced these chickens to our customers, and the following year we also raised turkeys on this feed which are now also available.

Then in 2008, we were asked to provide some of our Cocofeed to a study being done at Ohio State University as it was the only soy-free chicken feed available to be used in a study that showed soy protein was passed into the yolks of eggs from chickens fed high concentrations of soy. We found out that egg-laying chickens fed our Cocofeed had the soy protein in their egg yolks disappear within 10 days of being on our feed. So we worked with farmers in Wisconsin to raise egg-laying chickens on our Cocofeed, and in 2010 we began offering soy-free organic eggs to our consumers as well.

About Us
I received an email from them once that noted that in the past eggs did not need to be refrigerated if left in their natural state - a coating provided by the hen just before laying seals the shell pores, prevents bacteria from getting inside the shell, and reduces moisture loss from the egg – all designed to make the egg last longer. Thus, crates of eggs used to be stacked for sale at room temperature (or even outside) with no food safety issues. Commercial egg production washes this coating off and sprays them with oil requiring refrigeration from that point on. Healthy Traditions leaves their eggs natural but must put in a 'token' cold pack for shipping to satisfy government regulations.

Their standards regarding GMO products and glyphosate:
GMO-tested is a higher standard than non-GMO verified or certified. We test any food that has a GMO equivalent before selling it to you, and we have a ZERO percent GMO tolerance. Other non-GMO verified or certified programs allow some percentage of GMO presence, usually close to 1%. GMO-Tested, on the other hand, means we tested for the presence of GMOs, and found NONE – ZERO percent. If we find ANY GMO present, we do NOT sell it.

Corn is by far the most problematic product to source GMO-free. Since we had to pull some of our own organic corn off the market due to very small amounts of GMO present, we decided to also test products in the market that had non-GMO claims on their labels. We found that two out of the three products we tested that were labeled non-GMO indeed had GMO DNA present. So we knew that making a statement or having a standard of GMO-free was not enough: every batch of products that had GMO equivalents present in the environment needed to be tested for GMO DNA, particularly corn. Any corn product we sell will have every batch tested prior to bringing to market.

Our GMO-Tested logo is only placed on products that have an equivalent GM product in the environment. We feel making non-GMO claims about products which currently have no GM varieties can be confusing and misleading to the consumer. A far greater problem for non-GMO products is the presence of glyphosate, and we have a need to identify non-GMO and organic foods which are glyphosate free.

When you see the Healthy Traditions GMO-Tested logo, you can be assured that it is to distinguish it from GMO products of the same variety in the market, and that we have tested that product prior to bringing it to market. Products which do not have any GM equivalent variety do not need to be tested, unless there is evidence that cross-contamination can occur, such as grains milled in large feed mills that also mill corn or other GM products.

All of our testing is done by third-party testing laboratories that have expertise in testing for the presence of GMO material. While we cannot guarantee that there will never be any presence of GMOs in any products we sell (nobody can), we do test for the presence of GMOs and reject anything with a positive test result, no matter how small. Specific test results are for specific batches, and it is possible to have variances within batches, or that we have stock of untested batches.

The Healthy Traditions Glyphosate-tested Program
Unlike the EPA and USDA organic program, we don’t like any glyphosate residue in our food at all. So the Tropical Traditions and Healthy Buyer’s Club product line has a zero tolerance level for glyphosate.

For all grains now, we test every batch for the presence of glyphosate. If we detect any residue present, we don’t sell it. We are also beginning to test other organic products besides grains. We cannot guarantee any food that has been outside is 100% glyphosate-free since glyphosate has even been detected in our rainwater now. But we have no allowable limits at all, and so as we test our products, if we find any glyphosate present at all, we will stop selling it.

Traditionally Produced
Needless to say, these products are not inexpensive, but Healthy Traditions runs specials and sometimes offers free shipping on specific types of products.

There was probably a time when all the food produced in America was naturally 'organic' and pesticide free as well as locally grown. We are so far away from that now - and our diminishing health reflects that reality.

On another note, I sent the farmer I was buying eggs from a video of an alternative protein source for chickens (rather than the soy feed he was using). If I recall correctly, it involved hanging a piece of raw meat and allowing flies to lay eggs in it. Maggots would hatch and fall upon the ground where the chickens would feast upon them. It was pretty gross - the BSF idea seems a lot more palatable!
 
It was pretty gross - the BSF idea seems a lot more palatable!

I agree. One of the things that comes to mind though is that they are very efficient composters so that means having a reliable source of organic material to feed them. One article that I read said that 1 square meter of BSF could eat 15kgs per day! So, apart from their composting work, if you wanted to harvest the larvae for stock feed keeping them adequately fed could be a challenge.

Here's a picture of another BSF farm in a tub:

The white pipe leading out to the bucket is the ramp that the larvae use to get out of the compost to pupate. Hanging on the side of the tub are pieces of cardboard. The female BSF lay their eggs in the folds/channels in the cardboard. Additionally the tub should have a drain in the bottom for excess moisture - the tea that can be collected and used as liquid fertiliser. So a set up like this would probably be easier to manage if it was on a bench or table.
 

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Melbourne University is conducting a treat preference trial for dogs using BSF larvae. Could be interesting if you're in Melbourne and have a pooch. BSF larvae have good protein and fat levels so if the pups like them they'd be healthy treats.
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