Potato Relevance – BlackSoldierFlies.com

Potato Relevance – BlackSoldierFlies.comThis is the last post about potatoes for now, I promise. However, it is worth saying that not only do potatoes teach an important lesson on the acceptance of novel foods, but also they can be consumed by black soldier flies. This opens a possibility to recycle potato waste by feeding them [...]

No Small Potatoes. Part III – BlackSoldierFlies.com

No Small Potatoes. Part III – BlackSoldierFlies.comNot all lessons that can be learned by insect farming community from potato farming community are positive. Unfortunately, the tragedy of the Irish Potato Famine is something that should also be kept in mind. Otherwise, there is a real danger of running into serious problems in the future.Read the [...]

It’s a Wasp against a Fly – BlackSoldierFlies.com

It’s a Wasp against a Fly – BlackSoldierFlies.comOne of the many advantages of farming black soldier fly larvae is that, so far, they appear to have relatively few natural enemies. This is different, for example, from crickets, which are prone to be wiped out by viral diseases. Such a situation is not surprising because black [...]

Insecticide Residues Are Bad for Larvae – BlackSoldierFlies.com

Insecticide Residues Are Bad for Larvae – BlackSoldierFlies.comSince black soldier flies are insects, it is not much of a revelation that insecticides are not good for them. Insecticides are widely used in agriculture; therefore, their residues are often present in harvested commodities. Food safety regulations set residue levels that are supposedly safe for hu…Read the [...]

Is That a Fly in My Feed? – BlackSoldierFlies.com

Is That a Fly in My Feed? – BlackSoldierFlies.comAs products derived from black soldier flies become increasingly common, so will the situation when it is necessary to determine whether a powder or an oil in question is actually made of what a vendor claims it is made of. Some people are willing to pay extra [...]

Eat Your Fruit as Mother Says – BlackSoldierFlies.com

Eat Your Fruit as Mother Says – BlackSoldierFlies.comFemale black soldier flies apparently prefer laying their eggs next to mixed fruit rather than next to manure or a couple other substrates because fruit smells better. Cannot really blame them, even though it is not yet clear if feeding on fruit will be better for the larvae.Read [...]

You Are What You Eat – BlackSoldierFlies.com

You Are What You Eat – BlackSoldierFlies.comAlthough black soldier flies are generally omnivorous, not every food is equally suitable for them. There have been numerous studies documenting diet effects on larval growth, survivorship, fat and protein contents, etc. However, as the publication below indicates, larval diet may also affect their…Read the Article

Growing flies for profit

Growing flies for profitA group of women in Nepal are capitalizing on the climate in their village to grow black soldier flies. They’re turning the flies for a profit, in hopes of e…Read the Article

No Small Potatoes. Part II – BlackSoldierFlies.com

No Small Potatoes. Part II – BlackSoldierFlies.comPrevious post on potato lessons for insectivores described a long road undertaken by indigenous people of South America towards making potatoes edible. Thanks to their efforts, the spuds could already be eaten without undergoing detoxification when the Europeans arrived in South America.Read the Article

Black Soldier Flies May Recycle Minerals Too – BlackSoldierFlies.com

Black Soldier Flies May Recycle Minerals Too – BlackSoldierFlies.comBlack soldier flies are fairly well known for their ability to recover nutrients from many different types of organic waste and turn them into the ingredients of animal feeds and into soil-improving fertilizers. Another potential use is recovering minerals, including heavy metals, to use them to mak…Read [...]

Black Soldier Flies Go Well with Red Seaweed – BlackSoldierFlies.com

Black Soldier Flies Go Well with Red Seaweed – BlackSoldierFlies.comAt least for tilapia. As search for materials that can replace fish meal in commercial aquafeeds continues, a recent study indicates that red seaweed in combination with insect meal can be used for its partial substitution in tilapia feed. Of course, tilapia seems to eat pretty [...]

Insect Farming and Saving the Planet – BlackSoldierFlies.com

Insect Farming and Saving the Planet – BlackSoldierFlies.comA recent article in the Time magazine entitled Insect Farming Isn’t Going to Save the Planet by Philip Lymbery made an argument that insect farming is just a variation of animal farming (albeit perhaps more efficient). As a result, it has all the same shortcomings and should not [...]

Why Keepers of Pet Chickens in Australia Are Feeding Black Soldier Fly Larvae Reared on Food Waste | Earth.Org

Why Keepers of Pet Chickens in Australia Are Feeding Black Soldier Fly Larvae Reared on Food Waste | Earth.OrgBlack soldier fly larvae are reared on organic waste, providing an environmentally friendly and sustainable alternative to traditional chicken feed. This article aims to explore the reasons why this trend is beneficial for both the chickens’ well-being [...]