Recent content by geedub

  1. geedub

    Thousands of Grubs in Compost ( picture and video )

    People are disgusted by maggots (in the case of BSF larvae) because of emotional reasons, not logic. We all have issues like that, including me, and I respect a person's right to keep their biases. I can respect an aversion to BSF larvae the same way I can respect someone's fear of the dark, or...
  2. geedub

    Thousands of Grubs in Compost ( picture and video )

    How does something go from being ok to being gross just because it's called a different name? I understand that people have an aversion to maggots because they probably associate them with disease and death, however, this particular fly species does not spread diseases. BSF larvae are not only...
  3. geedub

    Thousands of Grubs in Compost ( picture and video )

    BSF larvae (ok, maggots) are light in color during most of their time as larvae. The 5th time they shed their "skin" they're dark like coffee, and their skin is a little tougher. Most animals are more interested in eating the light colored younger larvae. If you can harvest the larvae when...
  4. geedub

    Thousands of Grubs in Compost ( picture and video )

    I imagine it could take some exposure before a bird would eat something new. I used to feed BSF larvae to a few peacocks, and they were slow to eat them at first, but later would go crazy for them, like the chickens in the video.
  5. geedub

    Thousands of Grubs in Compost ( picture and video )

    Your chickens are the exception.
  6. geedub

    Thousands of Grubs in Compost ( picture and video )

    This thread is about black soldier fly larvae. Anyway, I'm not qualified to speak about other insects....
  7. geedub

    NPR story about black soldier flies

    I use them to compost kitchen waste, I don't have any chickens. Most people who raise BSF use open systems which are outdoors. In those systems the BSF adults are wild, and only visit the unit to lay eggs. BSF adults (winged stage) aren't pests and are rarely seen, even when you keep a large...
  8. geedub

    NPR story about black soldier flies

    They did a radio/blog piece about BSF a few days ago! http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/09/19/223728061/making-food-from-flies-its-not-that-icky In the blog entry, they linked to my BSF site, which is pretty cool. :)
  9. geedub

    Black Soldier Fly composter

    Always nice to see variations on BSF composters. I'm a little surprised that you've had issues with dairy products, I add them occasionally without noticing adverse effects. I'm actually more careful with meat. I try to limit the amount of flesh I add to what the colony can process in several...
  10. geedub

    Black Soldier Fly composter

    That's about a pint per day which isn't unusual for a container that size. The harvest might be even better if the ramps were tightly secured against the walls since the larvae tend to hug the wall as they try to migrate.
  11. geedub

    Maggot Farming!! Please answer :)

    Black soldier fly larvae and other maggots have been shown to reduce harmful bacteria like e. coli and salmonella. Wild animals eat maggots all of the time. I'm sure some do get sick, but I also think we tend to exaggerate the risk because of our bias against fly larvae. Quote: and...
  12. geedub

    Newb asking about black soldier fly larva BSFL

    No problem, we're all learning about BSF as we go, including me. First we need to establish if we're talking about a system for waste conversion (garbage to grubs) or only pupation/emergence. My comment about moisture is for composting units where juvenile (light colored) BSF larvae (BSFL)...
  13. geedub

    Newb asking about black soldier fly larva BSFL

    The black soldier flies in OR may have adapted somewhat to the cool climate, but in my experience you won't see breeding until the cold evenings are finished for the season. I would expect to see adult BSF emerge there in late June or even July. We normally advise people to keep BSF composters...
  14. geedub

    Newb asking about black soldier fly larva BSFL

    I may have misunderstood, but black soldier fly larvae must have high moisture to thrive with 70% being a minimum, although flooding can cause issues including excess anaerobic bacteria.
  15. geedub

    Earthworms, Mealworms, Black Soldier Fly Larvae, Crickets...

    There's really only one thing you need to cultivate BSF; something they can eat.
See more
Back
Top Bottom