Black Soldier Fly Larvae
This page is dedicated to answering questions we often receive about black soldier fly larvae (BSFL). As we ramp up production, we'd love to hear from potential customers about what you're looking to buy.
For order inquiries, please contact us at:
Or by email:
General Product Information:
BSFL
Insects are a timeless protein source that have been part of the animal (and human) diet for millennia and are now increasingly recognized as a premium option in terms of quality and sustainability. As a complete protein, BSFL contain essential amino acids, lauric acid, calcium, and prebiotic fiber which improves gut and immune health. Feed studies including insects also show improved palatability and behavioral benefits.
NUTRIENT RANGES:
-
Protein: 43%
-
Fat: 24%
-
Fiber: 8%
-
Moisture: 75%
-
Calcium: 1.3%
-
Phosphorus: 0.8%
DELICIOUS:
-
As a natural part of most animal diets, the roasted, malty flavor of BSFL makes it a palatable addition to feed that animals love.
NUTRITIOUS:
-
BSFL improve gut and immune health while providing antioxidants, antipathogenic, antibacterial, and antifungal properties.
SUSTAINABLE:
-
BSFL require less land, water, and time to produce while emitting fewer greenhouse gases than industrially produced feed proteins.
INSECTS:
-
Insects are like nature’s little vitamins. Top-tier food resource, but since humans are more squeamish the pets and livestock will be first to thrive on insects.
General
Animals evolved to eat insects, not processed corn/soy.
Benefits beyond protein.
Multiple markets
Protein is an essential macronutrient in a healthy diet and current commercial feeds derive it mainly from soybeans and fishmeal. Companies like ours are working to scale up the insect supply chain to make it easier for customers big or small to order naturally nutritious, sustainable, and tasty BSFL as an alternative feed.
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 BSFL a great alternative choice.
BSFL make great snacks or ingredients for many animals, including: fish, reptiles, poultry, wild birds, pigs, pets (dogs and cats), crustaceans...
.... ducks, bluebirds, turtles, hamsters...
Protein
Protein helps to build as well as restore and repair tissues.
Ex) For chickens, this means healthier immune system, stronger feathers, and better egg production (more eggs, larger eggs or both).
Fiber
BSFL fiber content ranges between 3-5% which may be beneficial to the gut flora microbiome. Strong gut flora with a healthy dose of good bacteria also means stronger immune system.
More Nutritious than Mealworms
black soldier fly larvae for chickens have 85X more calcium than dried meal worms, 36-42% protein, 25-30% healthy fat, phosphorus, fiber, lysine & dietary fat.
Reduce Houseflies & other pests
"Anyone who owns a farm will tell you that fewer houseflies/filth flies make the BSFL worth their weight in gold" ... BSFL have a scent that displaces houseflies.
Protein +
BSFL protein ranges from 35%-45% of dried weight. But it’s not all about the quantity of protein.
The amino acids lysine and methionine are especially known for their positive impact on growth, molting support and better feed efficiency.
Calcium & Phosphorus
Calcium provides a variety of benefits, liking keeping eggshells strong. BSFL have the perfect ratio of Phosphorus to Calcium to ensure optimal Calcium uptake. Phosphorus helps to metabolize or use the Calcium that the chickens eat.
Healthy, Happy animals
It's not shocking that if you feed animals what they evolved to eat, the outcomes are good.
Non-pests
Unlike houseflies, BSFL are not disease carriers and actually eliminate harmful bacteria.
Fat (Lauric Fatty Acid)
BSFL have high lauric fatty acid content. Lauric acid has been shown to have natural antimicrobial effects. This is a very unique trait that BSFL fats offer and in future may be part of the solution to limit the amount of antibiotics used in farming.
Birds Love BSFL
To encourage natural feeding behavior simply scatter on the ground.
Support a Circular Economy
BSFL are critical in ecosystems to upcycle low-value biomass back into the food chain, replenishing would-be-wasted nutrients to soils and guts.
Reduce antibiotics
Boost the nutritional value of eggs.
Improve animal welfare.
Reduce money spent on antibiotics.
Mealworms or BSFL?
AVERAGES:
BSFL are better suited as feed for a variety of reasons:
-
Mealworms are not true worms; rather, they are the larval stage of the darkling beetle
-
Dried mealworms are approx. 50% protein, 28% fat, and about 6% fiber.
-
Dried mealworms have low calcium content and an imbalanced calcium / phosphorus ratio.
BSFL, on the other hand:
-
Non-invasive, not pests
-
No stingers, no biting
-
The adult BSF only lives for about 4 days to mate and lay eggs. It must acquire all of its nutrition in the larvae/pupae stage
-
They are voracious eaters, able to transform wide varieties of organic materials into premium biomass (while also filtering out and rendering harmless many toxins, pathogens, or heavy metals)
-
BSFL are part of our sustainable future, as many are reared on waste streams.
-
BSFL have superior protein and calcium profiles.
-
Chicks fed a diet containing dried black soldier fly larvae as the protein supplement have been shown to gain weight at a rate of almost double those fed on soybean plus fat meal.
Explore:
Black soldier fly larvae meal and fat can completely replace soybean cake and oil in diets for laying hens - Science Direct
Insect Meal: Good for bird and eggs - All About Feed
Dietary Inclusion of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia Illucens) Larvae Meal and Paste Improved Gut Health but Had Minor Effects on Skin Mucus Proteome and Immune Response in Atlantic Salmon (Salmo Salar) - Frontiers in Immunology
Black soldier fly larvae in broiler diets improve broiler performance and modulate the immune system - National Library of Medicine
An analysis of feeding indigenous poultry with fly larvae - Poultry World
Producing Black Soldier Fly Larvae as Supplemental Feed for Small Scale Poultry Farms - Poultry Ponderings
