Black Soldier Fly: Difference between revisions

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Parts of this text were taken an article by Dr. Paul Olivier - please read [http://blacksoldierflyblog.com/bioconversion-dr_paul_olivier/ the original here].  
Parts of this text were taken an article by Dr. Paul Olivier - please read [http://blacksoldierflyblog.com/bioconversion-dr_paul_olivier/ the original here].  


Larvae of the black soldier fly (BSF), ''Hermetia illucens'', can be used for the bioconversion of many kinds of organic waste, including putrescent waste such as meat and dairy products. Soldier Grubs are not associated in any way with the transmission of disease. They do not bite, bother or pester humans in any way. In fact, they send out a (pheromonal?) signal to house flies: '''''get lost !'''''
Larvae of the black soldier fly (BSF), ''Hermetia illucens'', can be used to convert many kinds of organic waste, including putrescent waste such as meat and dairy products. Soldier Grubs are not associated in any way with the transmission of disease. They do not bite, bother or pester humans in any way. In fact, they send out a (pheromonal?) signal to house flies: '''''get lost !'''''


Soldier Grub bioconversion units are also called grub composters. A commercially available grub composter is called the BioPod™ and is developed and trademarked by ESR International, LLC. A nominal 2-foot diameter BioPod™ Classic and the newly designed BioPod™ Plus can process over a metric ton of putrescent waste per year. A nominal 4-foot diameter ProtaPod™, weighing about 40 lbs (18 kg), can process well over five metric tons of putrescent waste per year. Note that the Soldier Grubs are totally self-harvesting. They abandon the waste only when they have reached their final mature prepupal stage, and they crawl out of the waste and into a collection bucket without any mechanical or human intervention.
==Applications and Product Ecology==
*Soldier Grubs can be fed to chickens or fish (see: [[Aquaponics|aquaponics]]). They can become an important part of any [[Integrated Food and Waste Management System|integrated food and waste management system]].  
* Oils from Soldier Grubs has been proposed for making diesel - like biofuels and a protein-rich feed additive
* Whatever is left after the Soldier Grubs are done eating can be eaten by worms (vermicomposting), dramatically reducing the weight and volume of the compost


==Open-source Black Soldier Fly composter==
==Open-source Black Soldier Fly composter==
http://blacksoldierflyblog.com/bsf-bucket-composter-version-2-1/ - An open hardware project to build a composter for Black Soldier Fly. Includes automatic harvesting of the larvae.  
http://blacksoldierflyblog.com/bsf-bucket-composter-version-2-1/ - An open hardware project to build a grub composter for Black Soldier Fly. Includes automatic harvesting of the larvae. The grubs abandon the waste only when they have reached their final mature prepupal stage, and they crawl out of the waste and into a collection bucket without any mechanical or human intervention.


==Applications and Product Ecology==
The design is for a 5 gallon (19l) bucket that could produce a maximum of 365lb (165kg) of compost a year.
*Soldier Grubs can be fed to chickens or fish, and therefore can become an important part of any [[Integrated Food and Waste Management System|integrated food and waste management system]].
* Extraction of oils from Soldier Grubs has been proposed for making diesel-like biofuels and a protein-rich feed additive
* Whatever is left after the Soldier Grubs are done eating can be eaten by worms (vermicomposting), dramatically reducing the weight and volume of the compost  
* Larvae can be used to feed fish in [[Aquaponics|aquaponics]]


==Further Links==  
==Further Links==  
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*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermetia_illucens Wikipedia: Black Soldier Fly]  
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermetia_illucens Wikipedia: Black Soldier Fly]  
*[http://www.esrint.com/pages/bioconversion.html ESR International LLC - Dr. Paul Olivier]  
*[http://www.esrint.com/pages/bioconversion.html ESR International LLC - Dr. Paul Olivier]  
*[http://www.esrla.com/pdf/Brazil.pdf Very detailed information from a project in Brazil (Dr. Paul Olivier)]
*[http://www.esrla.com/pdf/Brazil.pdf Very detailed information from a project in Brazil (Dr. Paul Olivier)]
*[http://thebiopod.com/pages/pages/products.html BioPod™ Classic]
*[http://thebiopod.com/pages/biopod-plus.html BioPod™ Plus]
*[http://thebiopod.com/pages/pages/protapod.html ProtaPod™]

Revision as of 01:55, 6 March 2011

Main > Food and Agriculture > Soil and compost


Black Soldier Fly adult
Black Soldier Fly larvae
Bioconversion unit for Black Soldier Flies - image courtesy of Dr. Paul Olivier.
Bioconversion unit for Black Soldier Flies - image courtesy of Dr. Paul Olivier.

Parts of this text were taken an article by Dr. Paul Olivier - please read the original here.

Larvae of the black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens, can be used to convert many kinds of organic waste, including putrescent waste such as meat and dairy products. Soldier Grubs are not associated in any way with the transmission of disease. They do not bite, bother or pester humans in any way. In fact, they send out a (pheromonal?) signal to house flies: get lost !

Applications and Product Ecology

  • Soldier Grubs can be fed to chickens or fish (see: aquaponics). They can become an important part of any integrated food and waste management system.
  • Oils from Soldier Grubs has been proposed for making diesel - like biofuels and a protein-rich feed additive
  • Whatever is left after the Soldier Grubs are done eating can be eaten by worms (vermicomposting), dramatically reducing the weight and volume of the compost

Open-source Black Soldier Fly composter

http://blacksoldierflyblog.com/bsf-bucket-composter-version-2-1/ - An open hardware project to build a grub composter for Black Soldier Fly. Includes automatic harvesting of the larvae. The grubs abandon the waste only when they have reached their final mature prepupal stage, and they crawl out of the waste and into a collection bucket without any mechanical or human intervention.

The design is for a 5 gallon (19l) bucket that could produce a maximum of 365lb (165kg) of compost a year.

Further Links