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The Black Soldier Fly (BSF), scientifically known as Hermetia illucens, currently stands as one of the insects with the highest potential for cultivation. The larvae of this species possess the ability to consume almost every type of organic waste: manure, compost, dead leaves, and particularly food scraps. These voracious creatures ingest twice their body weight in food every day, contributing to waste recycling, and in the process, can eliminate certain microbial pathogens and chemical contaminants present in the food, making the residual substrate safer for disposal.
BSF larvae outcompete other flies, such as common disease-carrying houseflies. Unlike the latter, the mostly non-feeding and harmless adult BSF are not particularly attracted to human food and do not transmit diseases. From a waste management standpoint alone, BSF proves extremely useful; additionally, it is edible. The larvae or the prepupal phase can be used as direct feed for birds or fish or processed into BSF flour or oil.
BSF is primarily used as animal feed, offering sustainable alternatives to critical ingredients like soybean meal and fish paste. However, these insects can be consumed directly by humans or processed into food products, including a dairy substitute that can be used to produce insect-based butter and ice cream.
To start a BSF farm, a simple method based on spontaneous waste infestation by flies and subsequent larval extraction can be adopted. This system is already employed by fish and poultry farmers in some areas, where meat production waste is utilized to produce larvae reintroduced as feed.
However, more controlled technologies exist to obtain BSF from waste, maximizing waste removal and fly biomass production. Detailed information in multiple languages can be found online.
In a BSF farm, adult flies lay eggs near waste sources, and the larvae grow by feeding on the underlying organic material. Maintaining moisture levels between 45% and 75% is crucial for their well-being. Some temperature control techniques can be used depending on the surrounding environment and the quality of the provided food.
Mature larvae reach the prepupal stage and, during the so-called "wandering phase," leave the substrate to find a suitable place for pupation. Their harvest can be facilitated by providing them with a ramp to exit or simply using a sieve to separate them from the undigested substrate. The prepupae or pupae can be sold directly or processed to obtain final products, such as feeds or oils.
Maintaining a BSF colony is relatively simple; just preserve some pupae, and after about 15 days, the adults will emerge to continue the cycle. There are numerous ways to establish a BSF farm, from domestic to industrial scale.
With their high economic potential and the Kinsect technology, BSF is expected to become the third most economically significant insect globally, after bees and silk moths. Its cultivation could represent a crucial and sustainable solution for global organic waste management.
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