I was researching bsf on the internet and I ran into a site that says they they're a pest in central america because they lay eggs inside young bananas. Also they'll do the same thing to bee hives as well.
mrgrackle, I couldn't find any sources that indicate that BSF enter active bee hives, can you share any links? The only reference to bee hives I could find had to do with abandoned hives. I've been wondering how a black soldier fly could manage to get onto a hive without being attacked by the bees.
I did find articles stating that the BSFL tea can be used as fertilizer.
Quote:
After filtering through cheese cloth and dilution at a 10:1 or 15:1 ratio, this tea may be used as a liquid fertilizer or foliar spray.
How are your plants coming along?
I'll see if I can find the link about honey bee hives. As far as the bsf liquid byproduct as fertilizer experiment... mixed results. The liquid diluted to 1:15 doesn't seem to make much difference vs water. But the basil I watered at 100% bsf liquid does seem to be doing better. I used basil seed I had left over from last year (and maybe the year before) and not as many germinated as I would have liked. The few basil sprouts in the 100% bsf liquid pots are doing much better then the few basil sprouts inthe 100% water pots. I also planted some squash seeds and those have sprouted as well. I was watering 6 pots with 100% water and 6 pots with 1:15 bsf:water solution.. there doesn't seem to be any noticable difference. I've started watering with 100% bsf liquid and maybe we'll see some changes.
My colony is full of larva but I don't have a convenient collection bucket system like the biopod has. I just place fruit cut in half in the top of the colony. After a few hours I can lift the fruit up and there will be an absolute writhing swarming mass of larva.. I just scope them out with a spade and through them to my bluegill.
You where right about having leaves in the colony (as in, I shouldnt have them in the colony). They've become a rotting mess that stinks, yet the bsf don't want to eat them. It's heating the bin up pretty good... the bsf don't seem to mind to much yet. I've thrown some of my worms from my vermicompost into the bsf bin to help them out with the leaves.
