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I was going to complain about the blur at the beginning but this video is too informative and well put together to complain. nice job man! thanks

The soldier fly larvae loves it very moist. Anyone that says different is lying. Its easier for them to eat, easier for them to move around and it keeps them cool. I've done barrels of compost tea, using grass and water and soldier flies would lay eggs in the barrels just over the water line. They grow big and healthy in there. I never used them but I've seen them thrive like this and all they had was grass!

One if the best box designs ive seen is to incorporate the ramp into one end, so one entire end of the box is a ramp up and drops off into a trough.

I love your style. "They feed themselves to the chickens" lol

Black Soldier Fly are amazing primary decomposers. I had a population explosion last summer in my red wiggler bin and started looking into them. What I found out is that they love coffee grounds (my primary compost base in the worm bin at the time). The problem I ran into was that the temperature was getting to high for the worms, so I built a BSF bin and scooped as many as I could into it and started tossing all the table scraps over to it. Their frass goes to feed the red wigglers (who love it) and the BSF will be added to the food I start feeding my quail when I set them up, and my future aquaponics fish. One thing I've noticed is that when they are ready to pupate, they tend to follow whichever side of my bin has the most light coming in. So that could be something to take into consideration when trying to train them up the ramp into the funnel system. I can't wait for the warmth to get here on a regular basis, my BSFL population should explode again, especially since I've been tossing all the current pupae into a tub of dirt instead of feeding them off. I've had some really big larvae coming out of the bin on our warmer days this winter.

I naturally have millions of those larvae in my compost. I had no idea what they were till today. $30 a jar, & I have barrels of them. I’m gonna be rich!!!

Thanks for this, it was an awesome full-info video. BSF is hard enough to understand from scratch, and you got it sorted from start to finish including fails! Love it. Keep it going dude! Regards from South Africa

I seriously love these guys! Every time I have food waste or garden waste, and I compost it, they come shortly after and break everything down for me and generally make the process wayyyyyy faster. I will also dig up some larvae and feed them to the race runners and green anoles in my yard.... they love eating those larva.

The White hen that's guardian of the pipe is just like my Bossy Bertha! Queen of the coop, inquisitive, smart, and sassy! Thought it was just her but can see and hear that it's more likely the breed than mere personality. LOVE ♥️

Really cool to see the day to day progression and you getting the entire life cycle to complete.

You'll never find soldier fly and house fly larvae or adults together! The soldier flies always get rid of the house flies. If you take some of the pupae and the compost medium and put them in a large butter tub, you can store them in the refrigerator until next spring to start a new colony, and you won't need to buy them each year. What do you feed those eyebrows? lol

First of all, thank you - great video. We have had a BSFL bin set up on our homestead for a couple of months now. We designed it in a big, blue plastic barrel. There is a screen of wire mesh in the bottom and a washing machine hose leading up and out of the barrel, down to a plastic bottle on the ground for self-harvesting. There has been a thriving army of larva in there since week three, but we have harvested VERY few of them. The problem seems to be that they are falling through the wire mesh and flowing out the bottom drain with the "leachtea". Last week I scooped all the contents out and added a sheet of plastic mesh fabric to see of it helped retain more larva. The next day there were about 30 in the bottle! I thought the problem was solved, but since that day I have harvested hardly any more larva and there are still lots in the liquid we're collecting. Also, our bin is producing WAY more leachtea than we expected. We're getting more than we can use (a 1.5 L bottle 2x per week)...WTF?! Any advice?

Hello, I loved your video but, I see that you have a big problem with ants ...! Ants eat the smallest larvae, so your population will not grow as fast and you like and also may lose it entirely. The solution is not a big deal. To keep the ants away from your larvae, place the container supports inside recycled plastic containers where you can keep an amount of water, it´s prevents the ants climb into the container and eat your larvae. I hope it helps you . Regards

Very interesting. Thank you for publishing something that's rare. Looking forward to seeing more progress videos on this; especially any design improvements.

that was cool to see the little bugger crawl to the top of the diving board and go for it! interesting little development process they go through

Thank god for epic gardening or else I wouldn’t have discovered you! I love your KZfaq channel man. Also thanks for the black soldier fly farm because I’ve been wanting to start one for a long time to feed to my future chickens and also my fish.

Good info and the fact that you credit other KZfaqrs and link them, made me a subscriber!

Love your channel always so much good info. I've had black soldier fly larvae in my compost pile on and off for a few years. I didnt know what they were at first, so did some checking on line. They break down food fast so was happy with that, but I've since also learned the earthworms arent too happy with them in the compost, because they make it more acidic. Not ready yet to just have a bin for soldier flies, so will just keep an eye on how much coffe grounds I put in my pile as my research tells me the flies really like that, I already know my worms do. Thanks again for sharing!

What a great science lesson for a child! Home schooling anyone???

This is such a great tip - we're working on our compost AND looking for extra treats for the girls.

Wonderful video! Really well done. Thank you for putting this together. I'm looking forward to getting started!

1 percent of the comments: Wow! So Cool! 99 percent: *eyebrows*

Soldier flys come to my quail hutch in the summer and eat up all the manure. They make great compost, and I don’t have to shovel at all in the summer. I wish they could survive the winter in Kentucky.

Thanks for such a great video. We're going to start on our black soldier fly larvae adventure this spring.

Great video with focus problems and all, thanks so much.

Very cool system you set up. Nice to see you experiment to find what works. For the last 6 months I've been working with a plain trash can with a lid and it's working just fine, but I want to increase production and start feeding them to my chickens, as well as collect the frass to feed the garden. Enjoying your vids, thanks!

Thanks for the video. I saw your video where some homestead channel was touring your farm quite some time ago. Just moved to our new property and if everything goes as planned we'll have our chickens within a couple weeks and then the next step is to get this going so I can feed them cheap. Thanks a lot!

Really enjoyed your channel. Good information, thank you. Not sure if this is helpful but once I went bowling and (as a Newbie) stepped forward too far into the lane. I went down so fast it looked like I was never there in the first place. Whatever that lane material is, it is the slickest substance I’ve ever seen. True story. So if you need a good frictionless material for your design, there you go

I love your eyebrows

This was my second season doing this. I failed the first season. Thank you for saying this as I have goals and dreams for garden and plants and seeds and one day farm but i have made so many mistakes....and failed so many times due to unpredictable things like weather combined with lack of foresight

They appear in my compost bin without any invitation!

Love this video, getting chickens this summer and I’m going to use some of your techniques. Thank you 🙏🏼

I got lots of these in my outside compost. Glad to know they are beneficial!

One of the best channels on KZfaq. Keep up the good work.

Badass! Thank you for the thorough walkthrough. Love that excitement "cracked the code with these guys" had me laughing.

I'm so glad I found this video because I was trying to make an attrcant to the bsf but they weren't coming to lay eggs.

Wow, this is a great video! I've been searching like crazy for info on BSFL small scale farming/composting and this is by far the best one I've found. I live in southeastern Washington state and don't believe there is much of a natural population here so I'm trying to figure out how to create a self sustaining lifecycle. Your setup looks very promising and I want to give it a try here! Thanks so much!

i find the soldier flys lay eggs under the box lid. i put cardboard in a clump at attach it to the underside of the lid with zipties. they happily lay in the cardboard. Great video

This is amazing on so many levels

i found soldier fly larvae growing under my rabbit pens. i had no idea what they were but noticed there were no fly maggots in their manure anymore. i am researching to find out how i can utiiize them to feed quail, ducks and chickens. thanks for you informative video

I’m all about this technique. Every farmer in the world should be using this method. The positives are tremendous. Let put some chemical food companies out of business and let the farmers make some money with all their hard work

Always love your content l. I am living vicariously through you. Keep it up!

Have an idea to contain the adults, and compost more kinds of things! I have an idea that goes with your already existing setup. Build a screen room around your bin, big enough to enter and maintain it. Since you think verticle, go with that. The screen room will contain the adults. They don't live long or eat. Once they die, their carcasses become food for the larvae, as well. Soldier flies eat things that you normally cannot put into a regular compost bin or pile. (but you know that already or they wouldn't interest you). You can make a cover out of corregted cardboard by gluing strips of cardboard together (so the corregations run perpendicular to your bin) til it's big enough to cover your bin. It serves to allow for air movement and discourages the entrance of house flies, as a mechanical barrier to the actual bin. It is the "nest" for the adults to lay their eggs, which when once hatched, fall directly into the bin. Also they last long because it doesn't come into direct contact with the moisture. Once worn out, drop in the bin and they'll eat that, too! You essentially have a contained system. Once established, you don't need to worry about attracting adults. They'll aready be there! Also, when you do clean out your bins, put it into your worm bin (dried out) for further breakdown. Just a thought.

I'm now more excited to grow some fly than grow some vegetables in my garden. Really video ! Keep it up ;)

It's a great "Homemade Sustainable Agricultural System". I hope you could have enough support in the future so you can convert this wise project into a commercial project. Good luck, and best wishes from Saudi Arabia.

They’re also very very good for Fish keepers too!

I ve been thinking of how to get bsf eggs, until I learnt that bsf do not lay eggs in a waste but on top of potential food source. Great video.

Native to many places, called privey fly cuz they were common in outhouses. Native to my part of Oregon. Thanks for your ideas.

Great demo!

Thanks for the info!!

Thanks for your program. I always watch your program

In commercial Asian BSF colonies, the adult flies are provided with upright screens of vertical artificial vines for them to gather en masse and mate on, a trellissed vine behind your farm will do the job.

Thank you for sharing! I find all your videos informative and that is what’s more important here, not your eyebrows. Keep sharing and spreading knowledge. 😊 👍🏼

Great info. Thank you💐

Thank you. Very helpful.

What a great sustainable way to run a farm. I'm interested see how it works out. Maybe play some smooth jazz to get the males and females in the mood.😚😋

For a lot of my yard and garden projects, instead of 1/4" hardware mesh I use sheets of wire lathe (you get it down near the rebar). It comes in sheets and a lot of times it's cheaper than the mesh and easier to use, you just need some good tin snips.

I have understood everything, Thank you.

Great video .thanks for sharing!!

Nice vedio .. thank you .. 😊😊😊 I could learn so many tips. 👍

Interesting and informative video, bud. Thank you from South Africa!

Or if you're lucky enough they will invade your compost tumbler uninvited! I found your video because I was trying to figure out how maggots had invaded my enclosed system! Your video as always was very helpful, but for those thinking it's complicated... my little colony is thriving in my tumbler (multiple generations) and I've even found larvae on the top of the bin, the little daredevils! I will be moving them to their own home near my chicken coop because I want to feed my chickens AND my garden, and apparently BSFL do not produce compost.

The most info just what i wanted to know thank u

I was going to make a comment on the eye brows but it seems there already is enough after reading some comments 😂😂😂

I appreciate your sharing! Thank you!

You just decided to roll with the completely out of focus shot? Bold move, Eyebrows. Bold move.

wonderful video , exhaustive knowledge provided, wishing i could have that option in India in near future

The best soldier fly content. Wow. Thank you!!!! It is fun to watch the climb & then the funnel drop! Lol

I always find large amounts of soldier fly larvae in decomposing pine shaving chicken brooder house bedding.

Thank you for the INFO

Soldier flies always grew naturally in our outhouse hole.

Thanks for the info. Wont be shooing these anymore...

Great job sir.. bsf from indonesia 🙏

Excellent video 👍

i just discovered these today, i have never seen one in my life had no idea what they were, even with having a large compost i never noticed, nor have i seen a full grown fly, we no longer have now, but at first i was horrified, i had a large pot that just ended up turning into a small compost pot, it had corn meal and oats from my mealworm farm when i clean it every so often (and sometimes a lot of baby mealworms end up in this pot) it ended up being a compost pot after a while, and where i dump my oats and such when i clean the mealworm farm plus veggies and other kitchen stuff. but tonight i was drawn to the pot as i dropped a mealworm on top of an upside down pot that was loose in my dragon tank, instead of returning to the farm (sand in tank) i put outside for a bird, and a lizard grabbed it right away, (momentary happiness lol) so i thought &i wondered if any of the mealworms that ended up in this pot are still alive and or grew, i literally thought they survived and grew to HULK size lmao so i scooped up one, and took a pic using google lens which showed me what they were, here i am and now i am absolutely fascinated, but since i don't know or recall what i had in this compost pot since its been around for a while, very wet from the rains, we live in florida, very warm/hot, these would have been amazing food for my bearded dragons, again since i have no idea what they have been eating, i dont want to risk feeding my dragons these larva. but im thinking of now making a soldier fly larva farm for the dragons (outside!) using your ideas, my mealworm farm is for my gecko, this would be great to have so now i know how to care for them what they like etc, how good they are, and not to worry no matter how gross LOL. but thank you for this video. this is super helpful!! my dragons one day will thank you. oh and not to mention the lack of house flies we've had lately , it explains everything! tho we have a few large house flies but NO where as bad as it use to be,

I think you should build a new box, very much like the one you have with the exception that one entire wall is the ramp going into the henhouse. I think that the larvae will climb out on their own up the plywood and fall on the hen house floor. No need for funnels or pipes. Also you might try a lid that opens on a hinge with a slot in the wall below it which would allow the adults to go in easily. QUESTION ? What is the temperature requirements of the colony?

I love this video so much!

We love these sorts of farming projects. This idea has been suggested to us a few times so thought we'd check it out. Thanks for sharing your video 👍

i do use de- watered pure poultry not fermented waste as substrate for my black soldier fly larvae to feed on and if i have to be honest with you guys, i have totally replaced soya bean with black soldier fly larvae in my fishery, piggery and poultry , i can now smile all the way.

So exciting! I am looking at setting something up to dispose of all of our waste offal from processing chickens

Great video. Love it, thank you.

This is brilliant!!!

Thanks for the video, Steven. Lots of good info that I'll have to try. I read lots of material online and watched the Living Web Farms video series. I tried starting a BSF bin this past summer but failed. I'm hoping to take some of the tips and some larva from popworms and be more successful next summer. Thanks again!

I think the eye moustaches are a nice touch.

i love it bro i hope you have more idea to share in here thank you...

So cool... I want try it

Wow, what a neat little fly. I may need to try this :)

Great video. Thanks!

Learned a lot thanks!

Good information... now you got a new subscriber

Dehydrate the pupae in a heated dehydrator. This makes them easy to store in a sealed baggie or bowl on the shelf, no freezing required!

Just something I just thought of but you could staple galvanized hardware cloth around the bottom of the bin... maybe underneath also... protecting the adult fly bin underneath from animals... adding some kind of door to allow maintenance obviously. Just a thought but it eliminates nuisance animals if done with alittle bit of creative thought... EXCELLENT VIDEO MY GUY!! Iv been researching chickens and your videos keeps popping up into my searches. On that note, I just subbed.

super........ty......need protien for the quail project that I am about 3 months into.

good job my friend

Wow, really cool video!!

Thank you for sharing this! 👍🏼

Some farmers put piles of compost in the chicken run for the chickens to scratch and eat the worms, bugs, and larvae etc....Joe Salatin, and Justin Rodhes.

Great lessons ....hope to setup a farm in Kenya soon

Love the way u do