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.
Comments 4
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
Posted 02 Jan 2009 at 10:34 pm ¶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!
Posted 02 Jan 2009 at 10:42 pm ¶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.
Posted 15 Oct 2009 at 12:22 pm ¶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.
Posted 15 Oct 2009 at 1:08 pm ¶Post a Comment