Comments on: BSF questions and answers

By: Sokota

Sokota — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 04:13:50 +0000

Hello all, anyone successfully over winter BSF in Washington state? We tried last summer, and they did great, though we had no crawl off. I dug into the bug barracks a few days ago to gather some seasoned compost, and found a couple pupae I think. they are soft to the touch, although they do not feel empty. they feel as though they could still be alive! is this a possibility, and if so, how long can they survive before emerging as a fly?

By: Winston Fiore

Winston Fiore — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 07:47:44 +0000

Hi Jerry,

Just wondering if low light or even darkness is necessary for BSF larvae to thrive. Thanks!

By: marty crist

marty crist — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 20:30:37 +0000

I notice that extra small larvae are sold on line. I would like to know how they harvest the small ones. Can anyone help me out with this?

By: Lee

Lee — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 12:55:57 +0000

HI, Scott, I live in Jacksonville (Orange Park to be exact) I would be happy to give you some if you want to come by. prohomeworks@yahoo.com

By: Scott

Scott — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 18:23:08 +0000

I am looking to establish a colony of BSF in Minnesota, and am vacationing in Jacksonville and Southern Georgia the next few days. I would like to pick some larvae up if possible while I am in the area. Anyone have some to sell?

By: Jerry

Jerry — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 01:15:52 +0000

Hi Terri,

I recommend that you register to our forum where there is a better format for discussion. Welcome aboard!

http://blacksoldierflyblog.com/forum/index.php

By: Terri

Terri — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 16:57:35 +0000

I should add that the location is over plain dirt, in the corner of my yard.

By: Terri

Terri — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 16:55:41 +0000

Background: I started a rabbit adventure at the start of the year. After sperading the manure on my gardens twice, I went to gather more and found I have a thriving colony of BSF in the piles under my hutches. I love them!

Questions:
1) Do I need to do anything to keep them healthy and thriving? I am a little concerned about ants….
2) What about overwintering? We are in Northern Oklahoma and should have a few days of winter below zero degrees F.

By: steve te

steve te — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 01:25:11 +0000

Nice Work!! Would like to know how many lbs. larvae per year can realistically be accumulated? With your bucket. Any guess as to how many could be raised in a 55 gal. barrel?

By: Patty P

Patty P — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 20:29:59 +0000

I would advise against using cat feces in a BSF bin. Cat poo contains toxoplasmosis, a parasitic infection, which is fatal to birds, chickens, etc. It is infectious to humans as well and can cause a wide range of problems, including birth defects in infants born to infected human mothers, and has been shown since 1953 to have a link to schizophrenia. Really! Reducing it’s possible spread in the environment would be a good idea.

Because it reproduces sexually only in cats, wild and domestic felines are the parasite’s ultimate host. T. gondii’s complex life cycle begins when a cat eats infected prey, usually a mouse or bird. Cats can also become infected if they are fed raw, contaminated meat or eat infected soil.

Read here. No need to get rid of your cat.
http://www.bing.com/health/article/mayo-126205/Toxoplasmosis?q=toxoplasmosis