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

[geedub]

I'll say I don't know why BSFL aren't more popular! They are certainly easier (for me) than worms, crickets and mealworms. Free too, and so easy. Nutritious, safe and prolific, self propagating, harvesting etc. I had a DIY bin last year, and got some good production but didn't get the crawl off ramp 'down pat', this year I'm going to try again.

I just published a BSF composter design that uses a storage tote. The ramp system is easy to build and I tested it for a full season. The drainage system is experimental, but you could modify it if you want something with more testing behind it. LINK

 

[fowlsessed]

Excellent ideas, thanks.

 

[QuietPony]

I would love to do this. But bugs are so ewwwie.

 

[bbsnooks]

I have a BioPod for raising the BSF grubs. You are probably a bit far for an afternoon look-see, but if you ever travel to the Orlando area, I would be happy to show you my setup and even give you some starter grubs if you want. Just PM me!

So.. If i were going to start my in house composter with BSF

how many would i need to order..
and where from ..
the wild colony's are probably here.. we have hot summer .. but just in case i would like to get started before summer.

I'm hoping Geedub will help is- thanks

I would love to do this. But bugs re so ewwwie.

well.. these help out.. with the eww factor. they help to "harvest them selves.." put them selves in your designated container.. ( or so I'mtold.. i'm going to order some and fine out..)

 

[Mehjr10]

If it is fairly warm where you are now there should be enough in the wild to start you up a colony, I am in Tennessee and I started seeing BSF around the barrel in about three days.. in about 3 weeks i started seeing small larvee if i recall. If you have a friend that has an established compost pile you can get some from there. If you are close to TN, I have some available.

 

[bbsnooks]

I'm in western kansas.. Dodge City.. and we're still having below 32 evening's .. last projected frost is mid april.. Zone 6 for the gardeners.
It may be a while .. before tha natives show up,,,

I have another question.. on Meal worm beatles.. (sorry if this is a duplicate.. question)
I purchased a few.. multi stage worm/ beatles from pet store.. and put them in oatmeal / wheat bran. and when i check on them it seems there are alot of the beatles.. laying on their backs.. feet a pumping.. I try to turn them over and they seem like there drunk.. and turn over.. and?? maybe dying..

I've hatched out a few new one's.. and maybe the other's were just at the end of the life cycle.. but i thought it was strange.. they would end up side down and pedaling air..

any thoughts..

 

[Demosthine]

I'm in western kansas..  Dodge City..   and we're still having below 3rning's ..  last projected frost  is mid april..   Zone 6 for the gardeners. 
It may be a while .. before tha natives show up,,,

I have another question.. on Meal worm beatles..  (sorry if this is a duplicate.. question)
I purchased a few.. multi stage worm/ beatles  from pet store.. and put them in oatmeal / wheat bran.  and when i check on them it seems there are alot of the beatles.. laying on their backs.. feet a pumping..  I try to turn them over and they seem like there drunk.. and turn over.. and?? maybe dying.. 

I've hatched  out a few new one's.. and maybe the other's were just at the end of the life cycle.. but i thought it was strange.. they would end up side down and pedaling air..   

any thoughts.. 

All of the above is normal behavior. When you buy the from the store, they went dormant because of the cold refrigerator. They morphe once they warm up because they see that as the cycle of turning from winter to fall. You will get a large amount of beetles after each container and then it will all "seem" to die.

At that point, your colony is still alive and well, you are just at the egg stage. After a few weeks, you'll notice a huge uptick of worms, as the cycle continues.

When I started mine, I added a new 500 count container every month for four months. That offset the cycle and gives me a constant rotation of worms.eventually, all colonies should reach that point, though.

After the larvae stage, the worms turn into pupae. Those are the thicker, white grubs that don't move. This is also normal. During the final phase of this stage, they should resemble whitish beetles and will be on their backs. They flail their feet in an attempt to flip over. As the beatles grow older they get significantly darker, hence the name darkling beetle.

Hope this clarifies things. They are extremey easy to maintain and the girls LOVE them.

 

[geedub]

So.. If i were going to start my in house composter with BSF

how many would i need to order..
and where from ..
the wild colony's are probably here.. we have hot summer .. but just in case i would like to get started before summer.

I'm hoping Geedub will help is- thanks

First you should know that the BSF season will be fairly short where you live; probably around four months.

Since buying larvae is optional there is really no right answer to how many you might buy. More is better but they can get expensive. 1000 or even 5000 is not a large number considering how many times more than that you'll need. If you don't plan on allowing the purchased larvae to pupate, and then controlling their reproduction in an enclosure - the biggest advantage of buying larvae is that the scent they create as they develop is great for attracting local wild BSF to lay eggs.

 

[swga]

We made a BSF composter out of a cat litter jug from Costco. Just took off the lid, punched holes in bottom to let out any excess liquid, leaned it up against the coop for the right angle for the little buggers to self-harvest into the coop.

 

[geedub]

We made a BSF composter out of a cat litter jug from Costco. Just took off the lid, punched holes in bottom to let out any excess liquid, leaned it up against the coop for the right angle for the little buggers to self-harvest into the coop.

There's really only one thing you need to cultivate BSF; something they can eat.