Some of my favorite insects in my landscape are the black soldier flies. Their larvae munch compost like crazy, and they eat the larvae of other kinds of flies, thus controlling fruit flies and bluebottles. The adults are scary looking but they have neither stingers nor jaws so they can’t sting or bite, they’re not bothersome like other kinds of flies, and they’re pollinators and food for birds.
Their larvae (BSFL) are a great source of protein for our native lizard population, and chicken farmers and pet lizard keepers buy them in bulk. They’re even edible by humans if you’re brave enough, which I am not.
They die out at the first freeze and return right about now. If you see them in your landscape or your compost, you’re doing it right.
Welcome back soldierflies!
by iLikeMangosteens
4 Comments
These guys love themselves coffee grounds.
These guys are the best!
Love these. They demolish my spent grains from making beer.
Well now I know what I caught on a windowsill last night and released outside. (It kept trying to come back in though!).