I did decide to keep my colony going through the winter. I intended to post about it but I’ve had a crazy life lately.
I’ve also been meaning to address your other comment in the Mythbusting Black Soldier Flies post, but again, too busy. I followed the link back to your blog and I thank you for your generosity. I think you have a few misconceptions about BSF and I want to help you sort them out. If I can’t get to it soon I will definitely offer to help before BSF season gets underway.
Black soldier fly mating only occurs in late spring and summer making it impossible to establish a reproducing colony now. You can buy a small quantity of BSF larvae, but you couldn’t process much waste with such a tiny colony. You still may want to get a few BSF for the purpose of observing and learning about them. Keeping a little colony going through the winter shouldn’t be too difficult and mainly requires that you keep them insulated and give them regular feedings.
Here’s a topic I started about winter BSF culturing at the BioPod forum: http://thebiopod.com/forum/index.php?topic=145.0 . It might be helpful if you want to attempt keeping a micro colony until next summer.
I might have missed it but did you decide to overwinter your colony or are you going to start up again in the spring?
CA
Hi Carol-Anne,
I did decide to keep my colony going through the winter. I intended to post about it but I’ve had a crazy life lately.
I’ve also been meaning to address your other comment in the Mythbusting Black Soldier Flies post, but again, too busy. I followed the link back to your blog and I thank you for your generosity. I think you have a few misconceptions about BSF and I want to help you sort them out. If I can’t get to it soon I will definitely offer to help before BSF season gets underway.
Thanks!
Can I start a bin in November or is it to cold? I live in Eugene OR. Winter nights get to freezing and day highs are between 40 and mid 50′s.
Hi Greg,
Black soldier fly mating only occurs in late spring and summer making it impossible to establish a reproducing colony now. You can buy a small quantity of BSF larvae, but you couldn’t process much waste with such a tiny colony. You still may want to get a few BSF for the purpose of observing and learning about them. Keeping a little colony going through the winter shouldn’t be too difficult and mainly requires that you keep them insulated and give them regular feedings.
Here’s a topic I started about winter BSF culturing at the BioPod forum: http://thebiopod.com/forum/index.php?topic=145.0 . It might be helpful if you want to attempt keeping a micro colony until next summer.