More and more of us are trying to lead a healthy life while at the same time minimizing the negative impact our practices may have on the environment. Black soldier fly has the potential to help us address many of the current issues humanity and the environment is faced with.

It starts with replacing, whether fully or partially, the feed given to chickens, ducks, pigs and fish, and other pets and switching it to black soldier fly based feed. This is helpful because grubs can be grown on organic waste which would otherwise end up on landfills. The next application is in using insect produced frass as a natural fertilizer. The last application is probably something we are a bit far off from, but will come in future, which is the introduction of the insect in human foods. 

Black Soldier Fly Larvae in Animal and Pet Feed

Black soldier fly larvae is an environmentally friendly source of protein. Soybeans and fishmeal, which are currently used in feeds for various animals and pets are far from being environmentally friendly. 

Soybeans require vast amounts of land and water, and soybean fields have led to the destruction of unimaginable amounts of trees and the disappearance of wildlife. 

Fishmeal on the other hand is produced in a paradoxical and extremely wasteful way because more than 80% of fish caught for fishmeal processing are actually fish that could be fed directly to us, without being fed to yet another fish. 

The harvesting of black soldier flies does not have any negative impact on the environment, quite the opposite. Black soldier flies help us by decomposing organic matter, which would otherwise be sitting on a landfill emitting all sorts of toxic gasses, hurting us directly as well as polluting the environment. BSF larvae are one of the most efficient creatures when it comes to the conversion ratio of biomass into feed, but that also means we need more BSF farms to help us process the waste we are currently generating.

However, it’s not just the environmental aspects which put black soldier fly at the forefront of the battle of the feeds. Its nutritional properties are far better than those of soybeans and may be a good full or partial replacement for fishmeal. 

Black Soldier Fly Larvae in Human Food

Consuming black soldier flies in future may be a part of a healthy and sustainable diet. All of us at Supreme Grubs have tried these grubs and some continue to use them in their diet. But we are aware that this step, the introduction to the human food chain, may take some time. This is both due to the regulative framework as well as the attitude most of us still have when it comes to the topic of consuming insects as food. It is likely that the introduction will start slow by introducing the powdered version of the insect as opposed to the whole insect to avoid the “yuck” factor. 

The benefits of a switch from standard meats to insects, in order to obtain sufficient protein and micronutrients are vast. If the amount of resources needed to grow the food we typically eat now could be liberated, we would likely see the reversal of the many negative environmental changes we are witnessing now. Wildlife and life in the oceans would flourish, if only we are fast enough to act now.

Black Soldier Fly Larvae to Tackle Organic Waste

Black soldier flies are essential decomposers in breaking down organic substrates and returning nutrients to the soil. The effects of accumulating organic waste on our landfills are detrimental to human health directly because the inhalation of particles has a negative impact on health. At the same time, these landfills emit tons of methane gas into our atmosphere every day, further aggravating the climate conditions as methane is a greenhouse gas 80 times more powerful than CO2. 

They also have the ability to break down the bacteria in their food. This is why they are considered to be sanitary. Once they’ve completed their digestion, there are no bacteria found in their waste. This is likely due to the lauric fatty acid they are rich in, a fatty acid with powerful antimicrobial effects. Some of these antimicrobial characteristics may be passed on to the animals or pets feeding on grubs, which brings us back to the topic of how great black soldier flies are as a traditional feed substitute.

After processing the black soldier flies, their leftover food, their poop, any remaining eggs, and even some remaining flies are excellent sources of protein for your plants and a great natural fertilizer. In short, there’s absolutely no waste from BSFL production.  

Conclusion 

Black soldier flies, through their inclusion in feeds, future introduction to human foods and in processing of waste have an extremely positive impact on the environment. You can play a role in supporting the black soldier fly economy by purchasing these incredible creatures and starting to use them.

Raising chickens can be rewarding, therapeutic, and surprisingly entertaining (the stories that you will have and be able to tell friends will be countless)! In addition to being great pets, chickens are also productive backyard friends who pay for their upkeep with delicious and healthy fresh eggs. 

Taking care of your chickens diet is extremely important. 

Protein is an essential macronutrient in a healthy diet and current commercial feeds derive it mainly from soybeans and fishmeal. We propose an alternative, or at least a replacement of some proteins in your chickens diet with black soldier fly derived protein. The quality of the protein as well as a very beneficial mineral content (high calcium, optimum calcium to phosphorus ratio), and not to mention environmental benefits, make BSF a great alternative choice.

Without further ado, jump right in to find out more about this healthy snack that your chickens will love to munch on. 

The Nutrients in BSFL

The black soldier fly larvae provide a wide range of macro and micro nutrients. Macronutrients are the fats, carbohydrates and protein whereas micronutrients are the different vitamins and minerals.

Protein

Protein is an essential component in your chickens diet. Just like in humans, it helps to build as well as restore and repair tissues. In chicken terms - this means healthier immune system, stronger feathers and better egg production (more eggs, larger eggs or both).

The protein content in BSFL ranges from 35%-45% of dried weight. But it’s not all about the quantity of protein. The amino acids lysine and methionine stand out in BSF derived protein and these amino acids are especially known for their positive impact on growth, molting support and better feed efficiency.

Fat

While you shouldn’t go overboard feeding fats to your chickens, some fat in their diet is necessary. What is particularly interesting is that BSF is known for its high lauric fatty acid content. Lauric acid has been shown to have natural antimicrobial effects. This is a very unique trait that BSF fats offer and in future may be part of the solution to limit the amount of antibiotics used in farming.

Carbohydrates

BSF provide a negligible amount of carbohydrates. But we are not saying your chickens should all go on keto and ditch the carbs. This is why if you are looking for a complete feed, you could buy whatever source of carbs your chickens prefer and top-up with the BSF for protein and some fats. BSF do provide a small amount of fibers however, ranging between 3-5% which may be beneficial to the gut flora aka microbiome. Strong gut flora with a healthy dose of good bacteria also means stronger immune system.

Calcium & Phosphorus

Calcium helps to provide the material needed to keep your chickens eggshells strong. 

Stronger eggshells are not just an aesthetic factor, you’d want your chickens to lay eggs with hard shells since such eggs are better able to keep the bacteria out. 

But it is equally important to have the right amount of Phosphorus. Phosphorus helps to metabolize or use the Calcium that the chickens eat. BSF have the perfect ratio of Phosphorus to Calcium in order to ensure optimal Calcium uptake.

How Much BSFL Is Appropriate for Your Chickens

The amount of BSFL to be fed to your chickens varies according to their age.

Baby chicks will need less BSF as treats. This is not inherent to BSF because the amount of protein needed in general at this stage is also lower. If you feed your chicks too much too soon, it may cause diarrhea and white poop. Once they outgrow this stage and especially when they start laying eggs, you should increase the amount of BSF treats. 

How Many Chickens Can One Black Soldier Fly Box Feed?

Here, we’ll assume that the box you’re purchasing is our 1.1lb Supreme Grubs 100% Non-GMO dried BSF larvae.

Dried black soldier fly larvae provides about 4500 kcal per kilogram, which means 2250 kcal for the 1.1lb box. 

An average laying hen needs about 300 kcal per day, and up to 15% of the feed can be replaced with BSF. 

After doing the math, this is the result. One 1.1lb box will last you almost two months - if you have only one chicken :) If you have 10 chickens, the grubs may be gone in 5 days. This means you’d be better off buying our 5.5lb box instead.

Conclusion 

Be creative when discovering ways to improve your chicken feed and boost the nutritional value of your eggs. Using BSFL as a feed source will give you stronger chickens and reduce the money spent on antibiotics. 

Enjoy raising your healthy chickens and happy feeding! 

The BSF don’t just transform discarded organic matter into high-quality protein feed for fish, poultry, and other industries. The waste that BSF produce while doing so can also be put to use as a highly valuable organic fertilizer. This is what a real circular and sustainable ecosystem should look like. 

How does BSF farming save life in the oceans?

First and foremost, black soldier flies do not have a negative impact on the humans or the environment - they are harmless in the sense that they don’t sting, don’t spread diseases and also don’t pose risks to the local ecosystem. 

Apart from not harming the environment they make positive contributions in helping us combat some of the results of unsustainable food and feed growing practices. Here are some of the incredible ways through which BSF saves our oceans and the life inside them: 

(1) BSF supports sustainable agriculture

Soybeans have also been used as a feed source for poultry. Growing soybeans has led to severe deforestation along with the dangerous usage of high volumes of pesticides and herbicides which outflow into our waters. Deforestation also leads to less food for the fish since less zooplankton is present.

The good news is that BSF can be used as a substitute for commercial feed. The level of inclusion, or percentage of BSF that should be used in a feed depends on the species. Generally speaking, optimal inclusion percentage for poultry varies between 5-15%. Making the switch from soybean to BSF can help our precious water resources, minimize the use of pesticides and insecticides as well as put a halt to or limit deforestation. 

(2) BSF supports sustainable aquaculture

Commercial feed is produced using fishmeal, and this is one of the reasons why we see a sharp decline in fish population across all the oceans and seas. A large amount of fish caught is used to feed other fish and not humans! It is estimated that up to 80% of fish processed to be used as fish meal can actually be used directly for human consumption. It is absurd that we’re wasting so much resources to feed fish to the fish.

(3) BSF supports waste management

The waste-management problem is a global issue. Aside from unsightly landfills, there is a serious threat from poisonous gases that the waste produces, which can be equally dangerous for humans, environment, and ultimately waters since this is where the liquefied waste ends up.

Black soldier flies have the solution to these severe problems since the larvae of BSFL thrive on decaying matter. This means that they can break down all kinds of waste (including your kitchen waste) into nutritious food for other species. 

This conserves the environment and reduces pressure on exhausted landfills, which, as a result, helps to save the seas. 

Conclusion

Black soldier flies - no matter how small - have a huge potential impact on the conservation of our environment. 

These incredible insects are super-efficient at breaking down waste material into useful products such as protein-rich feeds. Whether you’re consuming them in your diet, feeding them to your pets, using them as industrial feed substitute, or using their organic fertilizer, by supporting the BSF economy, you will be helping to save the very endangered life in oceans and seas across the globe.