Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens)

[FrankRizzo]

If you look at the link to the bsf blog that I posted they have instructions on how to make a container out of a five gallon bucket.

 

[JackTheGrower]

Very cool. A little creepy... but very cool.

I'm with you there. It's the far side of most people's organic willingness with the "Maggot Effect."

However, the bio-products are what we are after. More info and such.

The combining the earthworms and the BSF means less work and that's the idea IMO..

 

[JackTheGrower]

do they both have to live together, why can they be apart. as far as im concerned they both like different environments to function at there best.

here is a link to the company that makes the BSF composter.

http://thebiopod.com/

They don't but I'd like to try.. I've been reading what FrankRizzo posted and doing my own searches and I'd like to come up with a solution to the environments problem..

But for sure Johnny Rotten has the clue on that.

The Earthworms are free to go as deep as they like for cool and naturally the BSF come and go and mostly live in the upper inches..

The earthworms have the benefit of micronized and decomposed food bits and the BSF have me feeding them..

Very interesting.

Now how do I build a self contained unit that mimics those conditions.. I have an idea.. I'll need to develop it more..

It's funny how one thing in a life is the foundation for another..

Still I would love to read more about people's experiences.. Any help I can be I will..

Oh the tumbler is out as a BSF home.. I will be trying a blue tub..

The Tumbler is alright but to harvest the material is a bitch. Besides I promised to do a composted soil thread.

 

[JackTheGrower]

If you look at the link to the bsf blog that I posted they have instructions on how to make a container out of a five gallon bucket.

I approve of that FrankRizzo great link.. I mean I approve of that design from my experiences..

I would place it near bushes or such so the adults have a place to gather..

I was told years ago when I was researching the BSF by an Ag group that Queen Anne's Lace is a plant they choose more than others.

Jack

 

[maryjohn]

If they like queen annes lace they should also like carrots...

Maybe the worm bin bag found on instructables.com would work? It's harvested from the bottom. I had some volunteer maggots recently.

With the bag the environment on top is not like the bottom.

 

[JackTheGrower]

If they like queen annes lace they should also like carrots...

Maybe the worm bin bag found on instructables.com would work? It's harvested from the bottom. I had some volunteer maggots recently.

With the bag the environment on top is not like the bottom.

Oh man that site is cool!

I actually have that UPS and need a new battery!

I don't see the worm bag yet.. Got a url to help?

 

[maryjohn]

http://www.instructables.com/id/Worm_bin_bag_for_indoor_vermicomposting_and_easy_s/

sorry can't do it the fancy way I'm on the train. The design is simple and easy to scale up but keep in mind your seams need to be good. The other day I popped off the bottom drawstring which is not a bg deal if your "bin" is established.

 

[HighonPottery]

I've got a whole bunch of BSF in my worm bin. At first I was a little freaked out to see them in there before I figured out what they were. Now, they're more than welcome because they seem to demolish food put in the bin at a MUCH faster rate than the worms. I have also noticed a decrease in fruit flies and other misc. insects.

The worms seem to be ok sharing their home with the BSF, because I see plenty of them and they're mixed in, too. The BSF seem to like the top trays of my worm tower thingy, which is usually where the fresh stuff is at. I've always noticed them present in my castings, but they've been more present in these past warmer months. BSF are free to enter (or leave as adults) through the vent holes in the lid of the worm bin as well as through the gaps between each tray.

on a side note, i am very pleased with the worm tower thing that i got. it was a pricey investment($100), but after 6 months i can truly say that i am happy with it. visually, my old tubs cannot compete since i keep it on my back porch. nor can they compete with the tray system - much easier to manage things as well as inspect without disturbing the worms too much.

 

[JackTheGrower]

http://www.instructables.com/id/Worm_bin_bag_for_indoor_vermicomposting_and_easy_s/

sorry can't do it the fancy way I'm on the train. The design is simple and easy to scale up but keep in mind your seams need to be good. The other day I popped off the bottom drawstring which is not a bg deal if your "bin" is established.

That works for me! That's good.. I can already do that with BSF look closely at the roughage .. Not fine like we expect but I guess it can be screened..

The concept of a bag is good.. Who knew.. the site share is outstanding friend! I joined but not paying till I have a job.

My mind is floating through design concepts.. I have to work it out..

Gotta say the UPS was Kick!

I know a way to cool the worms cheaply.. I can make it "better" with some of the DIY.. Still I am not fixed on a design..

I'll need to consider the psychology of the worms and BSF.. It needs to be Club Med for them.. Hell make them happy! It's their lives after all.

Cool! You know that "Bag" is going to get more thought...

Jack

 

[maryjohn]

I love my bag. It's a small scale flow thru and harveting is easy. Also it breathes, so there is less opportunity for a sour bin.

Plus the time spent with my mom at the sowing machine was great.

 

[JackTheGrower]

I've got a whole bunch of BSF in my worm bin. At first I was a little freaked out to see them in there before I figured out what they were. Now, they're more than welcome because they seem to demolish food put in the bin at a MUCH faster rate than the worms. I have also noticed a decrease in fruit flies and other misc. insects.

The worms seem to be ok sharing their home with the BSF, because I see plenty of them and they're mixed in, too. The BSF seem to like the top trays of my worm tower thingy, which is usually where the fresh stuff is at. I've always noticed them present in my castings, but they've been more present in these past warmer months. BSF are free to enter (or leave as adults) through the vent holes in the lid of the worm bin as well as through the gaps between each tray.

on a side note, i am very pleased with the worm tower thing that i got. it was a pricey investment($100), but after 6 months i can truly say that i am happy with it. visually, my old tubs cannot compete since i keep it on my back porch. nor can they compete with the tray system - much easier to manage things as well as inspect without disturbing the worms too much.

Hey!! Do post a link.. Somehow I missed your post b4 srry

 

[JackTheGrower]

Ahhh StarBucks!

Ahhh StarBucks!

I stopped in to the Starbucks near a place I take my recycling and I walked out of there with a haul.
I thought i would get roughly twice the size of 5 lbs of sugar but it is more like a 5 gallon bucket full of some very fine grounds.

THE BSF LOVE COFFEE? We shall see what they do with this fine grind..



I covered the surface but only about a half inch deep and also provided a cantaloupe.

The drip, drip, drip of the leach continues and I am wondering if I should put that liquid on air.. It does smell like ass ..
I have a nice cycle-stat not doing anything.. 5 minutes of air a few times an hour should do??

So friends, what am I doing then if I air the liquid.. Should I feed more materials such as fish and kelp.. Bubbling liquid is new to me..

 

[JackTheGrower]

How is it going BSF pople?

How is it going BSF pople?

I'm seeing the BSF young love the Starbucks..

Also I see the adults like to lay on cooked rice I placed in there.. Out of the 6 I counted in there I believe 5 also took time to lay eggs on the rice.. The rice is sitting on top of coffee so..

I'm thinking to buy an air pump in a week for my liquid collections.


So Any updates friends? Any insights?


How about what are you feeding..

Edit:

One let me get close..

I am seeing large adults and smaller ones.. The ones I see leaving are small so I assume the large ones are at the end of their lives.

 

[Johnny Rotten]

I feed them about five gallons of kitchen waste a week along with grass clippings, aged oak leaves, random small non diseased yard waste, raw horse manure and the occasional Cuban tree frog. They make excellent chicken feed if you have chickens. A buddy of mine keeps me in eggs if i get him a good bit of them to feed the chickens when they're there. They go away during the "cold" months and sometimes for no reason at all.
Pictures:

 

[JackTheGrower]

Cool shots! I like the single larvae shot especially.. The "plate o maggot" is cool too!

Hey are you keeping liquid or mostly raising the grubs?

BTW I added a couple female adult laying eggs on cooked rice pics above..

 

[FrankRizzo]

I've noticed that mine don't really like the citrus peels. Just about the only thing they haven't devoured.

 

[JackTheGrower]

Hey Frank,

I put some lemon halves out there ( that had been squeezed ) and the BSF larvae do eat the "meat" but they don't eat the peal.

Citrus peal has alcohols and waxes in it so it may be toxic.

However I would assume cooked peal would work. That's just a guess.

 

[JackTheGrower]

Hey FrankRizzo!

Friend, I have some lemon halves I hand squeezed for juice on the surface.

They are eating the meat of the lemon but what I notice in all the materials added is, that, a controlled decomposition going on.

I stressed the mix with alfalfa pellet and rice a while back. That should have sent the tempt to 110F at least.. Nope it went to 100F or maybe 105F but went down in one day below 90F.

It's at 80F now.

So my observation is not only do they eat everything for the most part, whatever is controlling the decay is also making mush of the lemon rinds.

They are getting mushy even tho they are on the surface

 

[FrankRizzo]

Well I can confirm they enjoy cannabis. Got some trimming from a cloning session and threw it in there. They jumped on it and it was gone in less then an hour. While it was only a full ziplock bag they sure took care of it quickly. It's interesting too since I have noticed that mine don't really like some of the green from our dieing tomato plants and our garden trimmings. They do like anything with carbs in it like bread. I had a whole loaf of stale french bread that hadn't been used and that thing was gone in a flash.

I would bet if you had a large healthy population you could get rid of any evidence of a personal grow real quick. Under a couple of hours depending on plant size. A big op might take longer, but for some it might be easier then looking for a sketchy place to get rid of trimmings. Can't back that statement up yet, but as soon as I can get a bunch of trimmings to feed to them I will report back.

 

[maryjohn]

Lol you are like the dudes on csi. I wanna see pics of a sheeps head go through. Great for printing on Halloween place mats.