Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

My understanding TT is that "if you build it they will come".....

They're around everywhere apparantly, mostly compost heaps, and will arrive if you provide the right conditions....

GD has written up pages about the subject....

Here are the links to some of the previous discussion on the subject. They include many links themselves, including several good PDF files.

http://backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=190

http://backyardaquaponics.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=954

http://backyardaquaponics.com/forum/vie ... php?t=1736

I posted the whole thing on the first page of this post so as long as you can read that you are not missing anything.

Here in texas you just leave open spaces at the top of the compost bin. Once they breed they will return to the compost to lay their eggs. If there are no other piles a poo anywhere then more of them will return. I was thinking of using a large screen to contain them.

I found many of the questons every one was asking in those other threads were answered in this page. The only thing missing is their breeding habits.

Thanks

Had not read other threads, did not know they were common to OZ.
Have been having difficulties getting to this site http://www.esrla.com/pdf/Brazil.pdf

Site might be down, will try later.

thanks Rupe, read all the stuff GD wrote up. They really are the answer to bio waste conversion i reckon. Need to get onto a trial setup that is warm, to attract them.

I bought a couple of 90l tubs a few months back to try and replicate what he had done...need something to make the ramps and styrofoam might be worth a trial...it is on my todo list, but not top priority as yet.

I have seen BSF in my GH, they use trees/shrubs for their mating habits and would be quite easy to get colonies of the BSF living quite happily in a GH using the plants scraps for the larvae breeding area and the tall plants for the reproductive energies...will get around to it one day

Rupert

I am unable to get to this site http://www.esrla.com/pdf/Brazil.pdf

Was wondering if you kept a copy of the pdf or know any other sites I can get it from?

The biopods are almost available! You can download the user manual now!

http://www.thebiopod.com/pdf/BioPod-Manual.pdf

For more BSF Reading material the userguide on the biopod is now available at http://www.thebiopod.com/pdf/BioPod-Manual.pdf

Also feel free to comment as we are open to ALL ideas.

They are also sold as Pheniox Worms (SP), as lizard food. Easy enough for a feed supplement but I found them to difficult to keep them going in the cold.

They can generate their own heat if you have the worms. The problem is breeding. They need at least 14 feet some tree leaves and warm enough air for them for do their thing. I guess I will need to store lots of frozen or dried worms.

Many times you can get black soldier fly natively and don't have to purchase them. But we will be selling starter colonies in the spring to help early adopters.

www.thebiopod.com

Robert

Funny thing is I had never seen the before last year. Then we had in infestation of them. Seems some eggs got laid in our trash can which we forgot to empty on our way out of town.

I will order some any way, just to be sure I get a good start!

I kinda learned about BSF by accident. We built a big worm bin and bought a couple pound of composting worms last summer. Like most new worm farmers, we over fed a little bit and found a whole bunch of these things that looked like huge brown maggots!!!! Ack, freaked the other half out a bit! But I looked into it and found some info on black soldier flies and realized they were just fine to co-exist with our worms.

Anyway, I expect anyone in a warm climate will easily attract BSF to a bin. If you already have a compost bin or worm bin, it should be easy!

As to paying over $150 for something like that. I expect that most of us here on the forum could make something DIY or home made that would function. Having the round container with the special ramps built in might be nice and make harvest really easy but I expect there are other ways that will work really well too. Heck, I've got a rectangular wood bin for the worms, with some slight modifications, I could probably give the BSF larva and suitable ramp to a collection bucket right from that bin.

Oh, now imagining 5 gallon buckets tilted at the correct angle to allow larva to simply crawl up and drop out of little hole near top of rim into fish tank. Just need to come up with best type of lid that still allows adults in to lay eggs.