DJT: I have a few tiny holes in the bottom just for drainage. Please keep in mind that this is a bare bones test, mostly just to see if I could establish a population of larvae.
It isn't necessary to mount the bucket over the pond. The BSF larva's instinct is to crawl great distances to find a good area to pupate. They will reportedly crawl more than 300 feet. I'll be testing different ways of extending pipe or some type of channel over the water so the larvae drop directly into the pond.
In my part of the country there is no need to encourage the development of adult BSF. The wild population is more than adequate to supply a steady source of eggs. Most likely it would be the same where you are in the summer. If you needed some larvae to get a population going I could send you some, or you can order a small quantity on the internet. They're marketed as "Phoenix worms".
After learning about Black Soldier Flies there is no chance that I would encourage Blow Flies or any other type of fly onto my property. House Flies and Blow Flies carry disease, and dead critters smell bad. BSF will happily eat carrion, but can thrive on just about any vegetable matter. They process waste so quickly and efficiently that there is practically no odor. The presence of BSF in a waste pile almost entirely prevents disease carrying flies from using it. Also the BSF maggots are many times the size of most others. They're big enough to be practical as bait, and would probably be pretty darn effective on fish that were conditioned to eating them.
The more I learn about these beneficial insects the more I appreciate them.
