Comments on: BSF bucket composter v2.1

By: Steve

Steve — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 03:18:39 +0000

Thanks for the very informative piece – I have completed 2 and am looking forward to putting them into service this spring but I have one question/problem – the 1 gallon jugs that I have tried are all so thin that they distort the funnel function. Did you have this issue and if so how did you deal with it? I am currently trying to use thicker orange juice containers but the handle is a greater outer diameter so Im trying to heat and dilate the vinyl tubing – all very frustrating.

By: Nanaverm

Nanaverm — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 02:41:00 +0000

Thank you, Jerry, for all your information.

I used to get the BSF larvae out of my worm bin and feed it to my beagle, who acted like they were snacks. The dog’s no longer living (old age and having to be put to sleep after an accident), but do you know if there are pathogens within the larvae? Thanks.

By: Black (fly) magic « PUENTES

Black (fly) magic « PUENTES — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 03:41:26 +0000

[...] Click here for instructions about how to make a homemade Balck Soldier Fly Composter! [...]

By: Steve

Steve — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 21:45:37 +0000

Well, I have certainly learned a lot here. While I never knew of BSF until stumbling across them on a chicken site I am certain that I have seen them here in western SC. And now I am certain that what I thought was a housefly maggot infestation of my composter (thought a well meaning family member had put meat scraps in there) was probably BSF larva. If memory serves they did seem to be a bit larger than housefly maggots. It is comical that for the BSF we call them larva and for the common housefly we call them maggots – one sounds so much more acceptable. With my new education I will build 2 of the design shown here and locate one on my farm and one at my residential home. Plan on having a dozen laying chickens this spring and intend to feed em to the chickens. Does anyone know what the larva’s life cycle is after it goes to the ground? Does it over winter and emerge the following year as a breeding adult? If not where do the breeding adults come form in the spring?

By: Jerry

Jerry — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 12:37:38 +0000

You may translate it.

By: Bruce Wilson

Bruce Wilson — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 20:14:04 +0000

First of all, I would like to thank you for all the information. It is very detailed and I appreciate that.

I live in the US but will be going to the Philippines for a very long visit to setup a farm. I want to raise BSF larvae to feed to chickens and tilapia.

My right hand man can’t read English. I would like to have this page translated to Tagalog. I would like your permission to do the translation. I would like to put the translated page on my web site, WikiHobbyPedia.com. Please contact me via e-mail to discuss this.

Thanks so much!
Bruce

By: Timothy

Timothy — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 04:37:35 +0000

Hi, I have been trying out my Unique DIY BSF composter for a few months now and have found it very nice. It is unique from what I have seen and I thought it would be good to break the pattern of what people perceive as a workable system…. I also thought it would be a good way to give back to this forum and the people who have inspired me… oh and there is ego involved to

By: Erika Peterson

Erika Peterson — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 13:08:25 +0000

I have a question about using this in places where BSF are not native. We are in NW PA — northern zone 6. I understand I can buy a set of larvae to get started, but how do I keep the population of adults alive to keep repopulating the bucket? Will I need to start over again with new purchased larvae every year?

Thanks!

By: Faye

Faye — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 02:56:53 +0000

I live on Kauai, have a BioPod that has been working great for a month. I got BSF almost immediately. Great chicken food. In the last week blow flies have gotten really bad and it stinks like sewer. I am trying to figure out what I have done wrong and how to fix it. I have a garden so have a lot of waste, I probably have a couple of pounds of kitchen waste a day. Am I putting too much in it? I empty the liquid tea everyday. I’m wondering if I need to let it drain all the time. How often should I clean out the dirt compost, seems like there is a lot now.

Thanks for your blog!

By: Doug

Doug — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 03:34:56 +0000

I made a near copy of this composter three weeks ago. Today was the first day mature larvae were harvested. 14 larvae dropped into the outlet container. I fed them to my Tilapia in the aquaponics system. They loved them. I have a few modifications but overall it is virtually the same thing. It works. I live in Nicaragua very tropical here.