Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Reading back over my post I can see that I might have worded it wrong and given the wrong impression. Sorry if I offended But i'll blame the single channel communication method we use

The key statement was "lucky that its now a moot point" ie that it dosn't matter cause they are everywhere any way.

There are a number of concerns that some people have over BSF. Since they are really good at digesting, reducing, eating plant matter that can sometimes cause a problem. Several plant crops are prone to damage pre and post harvest by BSF larvae. Easy to imagine the damage caused by BSF getting into a farmers silage pit.

If for some mysterious reason Hermetia illucens wasn't in your area then (if it was me) I wouldn't add them. Mainly because soldier flies exclude other flies and insects (one of the reasons that they are very popular). Since as you say they are allready in your area then yes I'd agree chances your efforts causing a significant -ve effect 0.

Stuart

PS the tree hugging hippy coment was meant to confer that you'd have to be a tree huggin hippy (read ultra radical) to care.

PPS Sometimes I'm a tree hugger, sometimes I'm a hippy but I'm never a Tree Huggin Hipppy.

Hello All and well done, this is great reading/research,

this BSF lavae reseach is fantastic. I will be trying to get them going in my backyard. Following are a few thoughts after reading this thread up to here...

We all know about the problems of introduced species in Australia - rabbits, cane toads, lantana, fire ants, New Zealanders(!)... we bring them here and next minute they are in plague proportions. This is why we are not aloud to have tilapia in Queensland. I have no doubt GD you will be succesful in relocating the BSF to Murray's (hello to you both). What I think the point SC was trying to make is about introduced species. It doesn't need to be accross the Pacific/Indian Ocean for it to become a problem. A semi-local transfer could cause a local issue within the local ecosystem. I would suggest a more eco-friendly approach would be to set up the correct environment for them to do their breeding and hopefully attract the local variety. (well done GD on the BSF research to date - truly inspiring).

The other point I would like to make is about fat content. I read in the Sao Paulo PDF that BSF lavae can crawl up to 100m in search of their ideal location to turn in to a fly. It seems to me that a 60cm ramp may be too short for them to work off that energy store - therefore still having that high fat content when fed to the fish. What if the 60cm ramp had walls that narrowed in, leading to a 50-60m lenght of 19mm poly pipe that was coiled (just like when you buy it) and the catch bucket was suspended 1.5m off the ground, making them crawl uphill 60m. Then they have the chance to work up a sweat (of course no coldies at the end as a reward for their effort thought!) and drop some of that extra weight.

I will get something rigged up and see if I can attract my locals to...their local!

Regards
Scott

Hi Scott,

It's good to find someone who is similarly excited about BSF. My partner treats me with total disdain once I attempt to discuss them with her and she threatens to ban me from the house if she catches me handling them.

The amount of BSF larvae that one should feed seems to be limited by two things........the fat content and (according to my recent observations) the impact on the water quality. I've noticed that some of the tough outer skins of the larvae can make it through the fish relatively intact. They drift around in the tank and then end up in the filter.

While we feed them to the fish whole (and frozen), they are (according to the material that I've read) able to be used to make larvae meal for inclusion in a variety of livestock rations.

Regards.....Gary

scott try not to let your obvious low self esteem lower the quality of this forum

As ex Prime Minister Robert "Piggy" Muldoon once said when asked about the large numbers of New Zealanders immigrating to Australia....

"I think it is a good thing..... It raises the average IQ of both countries"

I have been petitioning our politians to annex an Far Eastern Archipelago but they just can't get the gist of my idea. But I think it would be "Choice Bro, Choice"!! Just kidding Tomo.

GD, yeah the wife...mine doesn't even like the idea of eating things that have lived within 10km of our house. I get "you murderer" looks when I suggest we may get a few chickens and she realises I mean for their meat, not their eggs. We had chickens a few years ago and while she saw pets with names, I saw food with drumsticks! But they were given away...we went OS for a year.
More will come, and they will be dressed carcus before they get a name. I like the idea of a self-sufficient backyard and one day hope to achieve it.

The thing I love about learning is that once you have learned something new the world can be a different place.

When I started learning about framing I saw trees in a whole new light. When I studied earth building I looked at the same soils I'd been seeing for years in a whole new way. When I learnt about Isospa vasta I could no longer walk past dead casurinas with nonchalance.

Today I got excited by maggots in my newly started worm farms (sans worms).

Don't know if they are BSF (I'll catch and Identify later) but for the purposes of fish food I'm not worried at this point.

And when I say excited I really mean excited. My breathing rate picked up, my pulse quickened and then I started laughing as I noticed.

addict!

Hi,

Congratulations.

Don't be concerned even if they are not BSF larvae. Other flies will often strike the scraps first.......followed by the BSF when things ripen up a bit.......and the fish won't discriminate.....they'll eat any kind of maggot.

I can empathise with your excitement. They are amazing creatures.

We've just bought three laying pullets and my new Japanese Quail breeders and 24 day old meat chicks are due in a fortnight.....so we are about to extend our experience of BSF larvae very soon.

Gary

I think Janets wining though. Maggots don't stack up against fry.

Would you like an order of "fries" with that?

Sorry if my NZ comments were offensive to anyone...I really only meant them as a joke. I do have some very good friends from 'over the Tasmin' and I would like to think I may make a few more on this forum, so please accept my appologies.

No problem Didj... we known for a long time that most Australians really lack the intelligence to appreciate their own shortcomings..... but we luvs ewes anyway bro'

Obviously you aren't one of those Didj

Tongue in check.... just kidding folks LOL

arrrg must resist urge tp make joke ...


must resist urge to make joke ................................


LOL
CHeers
Pete

an aussie a kiwi and a south african were having a drink in a pub out west.
the kiwi finished his beer and smashed his glass against the wall of the bar.
'Geez' cried the bartender 'what did you do that four'?.
Mate weve got so much sand in our country we dont have to drink out of the same glass twice replied the kiwi
With that the south african picked up the bottle of scotch he had taken a drink out of and smashed it against the wall and said to the barman
Mate weve got so much gold in our country we dont have to drink out of the same bottle twice.
the aussie finished his drink turned around and went out to his ute reached behind the seat and got out his rifle went back into the bar and shot the kiwi and south african dead
GEEZ cried the barman WHy THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT
mate theres so many of those bastards over here i dont have to drink with the same one twice replied the aussie