Thousands of Grubs in Compost ( picture and video )

[suenrob]

Rob, The video of Alana is just precious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[SandraMort]

OK, I get that, but in order to keep the houseflies out, the BSF need to lay their eggs first... and how do you arrange that?

 

[geedub]

Quote:
It depends on there being a local population of black soldier flies. If they're in your area you simply maintain a food source until a female finds it. As more BSF larvae are concentrated in the waste it becomes easier for the adult females to find it and they are more inclined to lay there.

BSF are reported to be found almost everywhere in the US and throughout the tropics. If they are not common in your specific area you can get the larvae and seed them. I haven't found any information stating that they present a problem as an invasive species and with no natural barriers there is nothing stopping them from migrating anyway.

 

[bluey]

Nifty...you have inspired me to start a compost bin

God knows we generate all the materials and the chickens will love it!

...thanks!!!

 

[georgiegirl]

So to start a small compost pile...What is needed?
Can it be made out of wood?
Does it need to be able to drain?
What about smell?
Do you need to start with soil or something, or just start putting in scraps?
Does it need mixing or stirring?

 

[Cuban Longtails]

There are black soldier flies in my area. I didn't know what they were; I've had a couple find their way into my house (drafty mobile home, wonder how they got in?

). I killed them because I thought they might be harmful to my chicks, which I was brooding in my living room. I thought they were some sort of wasp and never thought to research them otherwise.

But, now I know better!

 

[geedub]

Quote:
Georgie, if your goal is to convert grass, leaves and other yard waste into a good soil additive then traditional composting is your best bet. You can also break down limited quantities of household food scraps in a compost pile, but you can't use meats or dairy products without creating problems, and the process is relatively slow.

If you want to process just about anything except yard waste, and if your goal is to convert the waste into BSF larvae, then a traditional compost bin isn't your best bet. Black soldier flies are common in Texas and it should be easy to get a colony started. Using a traditional compost pile isn't an efficient way to raise BSF larvae.

 

[georgiegirl]

I am thinking of more garden/flower bed compost. Not necessarily larva and can always feed the food scraps to the chickens. They would be pretty upset if I stopped giving it to them anyway.
How long does it take to break down the grasses and leaves for garden use?

 

[geedub]

Quote:
ChicknGurl, BSF imitate wasps as a defense. They can't bite or sting, and it's pretty unusual for them to enter a house. Adult BSF don't eat because they only live long enough to mate and lay eggs. The males are rarely seen and the females are only looking for a good site to lay eggs so entering a house is accidental (unless you have a nice pile of food waste in there).

 

[geedub]

Quote:
I don't have a lot of experience with traditional composting, but there are millions of websites you can research.