Other Fly Larvae

[GaryD]

Hi,

We've been harvesting Black Soldier fly larvae for most of the time we've been doing aquaponics.

While they're great chicken food.....and I've even fed them to my jade perch.....they are not without their fair share of issues.

If you feed them to fish, the tough outer skin (exoskeleton) tends to pass through the fish undigested and adds to the solid waste in the tank......and they become much less active (and available) once the mercury drops.

Over the past few months, I've been following a thread by Tony in Tas (a BYAP member) on raising house fly larvae in his BioPod.......as distinct from BSF larvae.

Most of us have experienced larvae from other fly species in our 'pods.

Tony (who found that he was limited by his climate) decided to focus on house fly larvae because, not only because they show up in cooler weather, but they are also better fish food........and he uses roadkill to feed the 'pod.

He reports that, using the roadkill, the smell is not too bad (while a BioPod full of BSF larvae can really stink if they are not free-draining). Apparently, the maggots eat everything but the fur, teeth, claws and bones.

Tony puts flour in the collection chamber which helps to clean the maggots out and makes them easier to handle and contain.

I've experienced a slow BSF season this year.....largely because I keep forgetting to feed the thing......and to harvest the larvae.......so I'm thinking of trying Tony's approach.

Gary

[kellenw]

Some people in my area use what are called "rot bags" for attracting fish to a certain fishing spot in lakes and ponds. They are simply road kill in a mesh net, suspended from a tree branch with a piece of rope. The various flies lay eggs on the rot bag, the eggs hatch, the larvae eat a few bits and then fall into the water where they are instantly gobbled up. Works really well, but the smell can really ruin a fishing trip. hehe

[Team Grace]

Some people in my area use what are called "rot bags" for attracting fish to a certain fishing spot in lakes and ponds. They are simply road kill in a mesh net, suspended from a tree branch with a piece of rope. The various flies lay eggs on the rot bag, the eggs hatch, the larvae eat a few bits and then fall into the water where they are instantly gobbled up. Works really well, but the smell can really ruin a fishing trip. hehe

Rope, Mesh? Thought you Americans would know why cats have tails? very good in rivers, for bass over here.

[kellenw]

Rope, Mesh? Thought you Americans would know why cats have tails?

Hahaha.... Thanks for the laugh!

very good in rivers, for bass over here.

Same here. Bass and bluegill are really attracted to rot bags.

[GaryD]

Hi,

Back in early December, I wrote about how Tony from Tas (a BYAP and APHQ member) had begun to use his BioPod to produce housefly larvae (rather than BSF larvae) for his fish.

We originally produced BSF larvae for our fish and chickens. We stopped giving them to the fish because their leathery exoskeletons tended to make a mess in the fish tank......but the chickens are still right into them.

My own BioPod had been performing in a less than spectacular fashion this year (largely due to my negligence) so I thought I might give Tony's idea a go.

Today, I cleaned out my BioPod and (where Tony uses roadkill) I used a redundant chicken.

I'll endeavour to take photos over the next few days.....and post about the outcome of the trial.

If I can consistently breed maggots in a BioPod:

• I'll have a source of protein for my fish, quail and chickens......at little cost.
• I won't have to get too 'hands on' with the maggots.....they'll just grow and self-harvest like the BSF larvae do.
• I'll be able to turn dead chickens, quail or fish (or the wastes from their processing) into high quality animal protein.

Gary

[aquamagic]

Gidday Gary,done a little experiment over the xmas holls.
Setup an old compost bin & a new one, with various organic items in d old bin & various meats both cooked & raw inthe new one..the old bin attracted bsf & other flys, but the bsf grubs within aday or two overwhelmed the blowie maggots.The new bin did better with the maggots but I thinkbecause the new bin was within 10 meters of the old bin, the new bin bcame infested with bsf grub with in a couple to three weeks of seeding,also discovered nothing touched the xmas ham.To much salt maybe.My new system is well under way, wil post some photos when i remember to take them.As a side issue my wife doesnt like talking about maggots of any sort ,so i now refer to all maggots as " BINBEASTS " which means they can again be discussed in polite conversation.
Steve A

[JohnMc]

Rope, Mesh? Thought you Americans would know why cats have tails? very good in rivers, for bass over here.

True. But over here in the colonies the yank bass pole vault 3 meters to lick the maggots off the bag, do a triple gainer with a half twist before finishing their meal. Makes 'em wiry.

[GaryD]

HI Steve,

.....also discovered nothing touched the xmas ham.

Yeah.....you've got to wonder at what they put in the ham (and I doubt if it's salt) that would discourage flies from laying eggs in it.
If BSF are attracted to a food source, they will quickly displace any other fly larvae.....such is their appetite.

I'm hoping that, because they are usually only interested in putrefying foodstuffs, the housefly maggots will get a go. I'm keen to find a way to breed them because:

• They are better for use as fish food.
• chooks and quail will eat them, too.
• They should be able to be produced year round in my climate.....where BSF slow down considerably during the colder months.
• They will provide a good way to convert high protein processing wastes like chicken, quail and fish guts into high value micro-livestock food.

Gary

[kellenw]

Any experience with other maggots being "self harvesting" like BSF?

[GaryD]

Hi Kellen,

Yes......other species do self-harvest.....which is why I find the idea of using the BioPod so attractive. I can get them without the need to get too 'hands on' with one of nature's more effective disease carriers.

Gary