Practical BSF articles

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These articles cover the first decisions: whether an opportunity deserves closer study, what a pilot should measure, and what rearing costs look like in small and medium scale.

1. Three businesses, part 2/4: the bioconversion service

   The engine business in detail: what it owns, what it must get right, and why its two outputs are its only honest comparison point.

2. One operation, three businesses, part 1/4: the principle

   Why a BSF production operation is really three separate businesses — bioconversion, product production and breeding — and why each needs its own honest P&L.

3. A zero-price waste stream can still carry an expensive commitment

   Why a zero-price waste stream still carries a contract, logistics, existing use and residual treatment commitment before it becomes a new process input.

4. The business case starts with the waste route

   Why one biowaste project can hold two business cases, and why the generator's avoided cost and the handler's service margin must stay separate.

5. New sidestream revenue starts with a real buyer

   Why a possible market is not a revenue line, and the buyer questions to settle before committing capital to a BSF sidestream case.

6. A pilot needs operating evidence, not only a dashboard

   Why a BSF pilot needs operating records beside dashboard data, and how material balance, downtime and human observations define what the trial demonstrated.

7. What a useful biowaste evaluation needs at the start

   Why a useful biowaste evaluation starts with named owners for the problem, the data, the budget and the decision, before Manna scopes the work.

8. Treat the waste route as infrastructure before a growth story

   Why a waste project should earn each stage of capital with evidence, and why the route comes before a growth story.

9. Before changing the waste route, establish the baseline

   A practical checklist for putting the current waste route on a single page before any alternative is compared.

10. Product value needs evidence

    Why a proposed BSF facility does not automatically give the biowaste producer both a saving and income, and how a downside test separates evidence from hope.

11. Five questions for a fair biowaste route comparison

    Five questions that put competing biowaste proposals on the same basis before their price per tonne is compared.

12. Ovatko suurimmat AI-mallit liian älykkäitä tavalliseen yritystyöhön?

    A founder's reflection on whether the largest AI models are too capable and costly for ordinary company work, and what lighter models with good instructions change.

13. The Wrong Question — Part 6: Which assumption failed?

    Why a failed waste-treatment investment is better read as a broken assumption, and the questions that trace what depended on it.

14. Before spending on design: the biowaste decision

    Why a biowaste evaluation should start with the current route, and how three practical outputs turn the facts into a decision before design spending.

15. A useful evaluation can still say stop

    Why a biowaste evaluation should be allowed to conclude that the current route is still the better choice, and the questions that make the next step clearer.

16. A BSF ecosystem is more than multiple sites

    Why a BSF ecosystem is more than multiple sites, and what the interfaces between operators need before specialisation works.

17. AI enhancement, not AI slop

    A founder's rule for using AI: let it search, process and draft, but keep the final judgment and wording human.

18. Käytännön AI / Founder in the Loop F0

    A Finnish-language founder's account of splitting one overnight client task into three scoped AI assistant jobs.

19. MIND: continuous, context-aware operations

    How Manna MIND extends monitoring and support into a continuous, context-aware loop, and what the 24/7 boundary does and does not mean.

20. “The Wrong Question” Part 5/6: is there enough waste?

    Why a large volume of organic material is not yet a feedstock, and the biological, commercial, legal and unwanted checks a BSF stream must pass.

21. What Manna is working on now

    Manna's BSF work sits at four maturity levels, from testing and designing to validating and operating, joined by a method that advances gate by gate.

22. Seven BSF metrics reference map

    A single reference map of the seven BSF metrics that decide a batch, from the conversion basis to effective dried yield.

23. FI practical AI series opener

    A Finnish-language opener to a practical AI series on how non-technical entrepreneurs can adopt AI agents step by step.

24. The crate debate is the wrong question

    Why the trays, belt systems and racks question follows the biowaste, the cost per tonne and the production capacity rather than the technology.

25. Can insect protein compete with soy?

    Why feed-grade substrate and commodity protein compete with soymeal, and how a waste-first model changes the dried-meal break-even a BSF project must support.

26. Services follow the starting point

    Why Manna matches the first service to the customer's real starting point, from a biowaste stream and an existing operation to a local build or an R&D question.

27. One fleet, different local realities

    Why a distributed BSF operation standardises the shared fleet view while keeping each site's control profiles and equipment logic configurable.

28. AI Stack S5: Email as the front door

    Layer 5 of Manna's AI stack: the email front door that lets the whole team use the same AI agent workflows, and what the first months of requests showed.

29. Sustainability is the tailwind. Price is the lever.

    Why sustainability is a tailwind rather than the offer, and the two price tests that decide whether a BSF biowaste case is worth serious work.

30. What does a BSF facility cost?

    Why a rearing-module price is not a facility price, and the design duty, utilisation and local conditions that shape a whole-site BSF cost.

31. Use Case #3: site-by-site validation in a funded network

    Why a funded multi-site BSF programme validates each location on its own evidence and decides GO, CHANGE or STOP for every site.

32. Three routes to a BSF business

    Three common BSF business routes — waste utility, low-cost feed and high-margin local protein — and why the right one depends on the place, not the country.

33. A BSF project should earn its next phase

    Why a BSF project should earn each phase, from the two entry routes to the four phases that stand alone before the next commitment.

34. "Is BSF profitable?" is the wrong question

    Why the profitability question comes second, and the order that decides a case: waste, output markets, local costs, law and the gate fee.

35. Solution #7: the solutions enhance each other

    The series closer: how the BSF Business Case Service, Facility Design & BOM, Manna MIND and Insect Farm Hub reinforce each other as a loop.

36. Use Case #6: R&D unit, adjacent controlled-environment service

    A services operator with deep controlled-environment engineering but no BSF biology adds a service line through advisory and a single instrumented MIND module.

37. Climate control, not biology, is the breakthrough

    Why the waste stream and the business case must work before climate control, and how a stable environment lets good biology perform consistently.

38. Modular or centralised is the wrong question

    Why the modular-or-centralised question comes second, and how waste volume, quality and economics decide a BSF facility's architecture.

39. Manna expertise, training and network

    How Manna's network closes the two ends of a BSF project: qualified starter-stock suppliers, processing equipment, regional partners and buyer leads.

40. Manna MIND is a platform, not a product

    Why Manna MIND is a configurable climate-and-control platform rather than a single product, and what MIND Gen4 adds.

41. AI Stack S4: Agent software and connectors

    Layer 4 of Manna's AI stack: the agent software and connectors the team runs, why the layer is replaceable and what keeps broad agent access safe.

42. Expert Consultancy (solution explainer)

    The flexible advisory layer across a BSF journey: pre-purchase validation, on-site commissioning, remote project management, training and troubleshooting.

43. AI Stack S3: Scripts and command-line tools

    Layer 3 of Manna's AI stack: small command-line tools that both the team and its agents can run, with three rules that keep the code doing the maths.

44. Team offsite: what we're building next

    Notes from the Manna team offsite: why the service model is built to make biowaste recycling pay for itself, and the partnership model for new cases.

45. Strategy days: what Manna is building next

    Notes from the Manna strategy days: why the offer is framed around biowaste processing that pays for itself, and the partnership model for new cases.

46. Use Case #5: Multi-container municipal waste startup

    A municipal-waste startup in South Asia turns a signed 3 to 4 tonnes a day food-waste contract into a modular BSF build, one MIND-equipped module at a time.

47. AI Stack S2: Document your processes like you onboard a new hire

    The layer above files and folders: three kinds of process writing — an orientation file, a guide per workflow and a living log — that let a team delegate more to a human or digital worker.

48. Where BSF Loses (a case with numbers)

    The other half of the winning case: the per-ton number that decides a build, the five gaps that flip it, and why a clean metric can hide a special advantage.

49. Facility Design & BOM (solution explainer)

    What a Manna facility design and bill of materials contains: modular reference designs, climate adaptation, validated sourcing and the two delivery paths.

50. Use Case #4: Software-only, operator builds locally

    A use case where an established BSF operator builds the facility locally and takes only Manna MIND, the designs and remote support.

51. AI Stack S1: Reimagine your files and folders

    How Manna organises files and folders for AI agents: one folder per topic, markdown files, an index in every folder, one orientation file and git version control.

52. IFW 2026 talk recap

    The full argument from the IFW 2026 talk in Torino: treating BSF as biowaste recycling first, with three real cases and the metrics that decide a site.

53. Insect Farm Hub (solution explainer)

    A plain-language explanation of the Insect Farm Hub, the platform that puts BSF production — climate, batches, tasks, training and marketplace — on one screen.

54. Flying to Torino for IFW 2026

    A short travel note on flying to Turin for the IFW 2026 Insects to Feed the World conference in Torino.

55. Our AI stack, demystified

    How Manna runs sales, marketing, budgeting and research with AI agents, layer by layer from markdown files and process guides to scripts, agents and email.

56. Climatisation retrofit for an existing BSF farm

    How Manna MIND retrofits an existing BSF production space: mapping the room, driving existing climate equipment and making an inconsistent room measurable.

57. BSF is a waste business

    Why black soldier fly conversion is a waste-management business, and the waste cost, site factors and local buyer that decide whether a case works.

58. Manna MIND (solution explainer)

    A plain-language explanation of Manna MIND, the software that runs the climate of BSF production, and how it scales from one container to a facility.

59. IFW 2026 Torino — Pre-event teaser (Ykä personal)

    A personal pre-event note on the IFW 2026 talk in Turin, comparing BSF business metrics across three real cases in developed and developing countries.

60. IFW 2026 Torino — Pre-event teaser

    A pre-event note on Manna Insect's talk at IFW 2026 in Turin, comparing BSF business metrics across developed and developing countries.

61. Where BSF Wins (a case with numbers)

    A warm-climate case with real numbers: why handling biowaste as the business beats the premium-protein route, and the per-ton cost that decides it.

62. BSF Business Case Service

    Manna's BSF Business Case Service models a specific case, stress-tests the numbers and returns an honest go / no-go before CAPEX.

63. BSF Metrics #7 — Dried Product Yield

    How 100 kg of biowaste becomes about 5 kg of dried larvae, and why the 5% effective yield should anchor a BSF business plan.

64. What Manna does: positioning and solutions

    Manna Insect's own positioning in plain language, from BSF business case validation and facility design to Manna MIND, the Insect Farm Hub and expert consultancy.

65. AI workflows for the whole team (email as interface)

    How Manna Insect experiments with email as an interface so the whole team can use the same AI agent workflows without installing anything new.

66. The $100/tn OPEX Target for Live Larvae

    A $100 per tonne OPEX target for live black soldier fly larvae: the cost lines, the substrate-cost break-point and the priority order to hold soy parity.

67. BSF Metrics #6 — Substrate Quality and FCR: Real Biowaste Converts Better Than You Think

    Why real biowaste converts better than expected: FCR at 6:1 against the 7:1 planning number, the three execution levers that decide it and the range substrate quality sets.

68. KALARVO R1 — Preliminary report

    Preliminary findings from KALARVO round 1: 39 recipes on three Kainuu fish side-streams, and the four things that stood out from the screening round.

69. BSF Metrics #5 — Larval Density and Survival: More Larvae per Tray Is Not More Output

    Why more larvae per tray stops adding output, and how the 8,000–15,000 band per 8 kg of substrate sets the density trade-off.

70. Larvae Counting / Dosing Tabletop Prototype Demand-Test

    A demand-test post on a low-cost tabletop larvae counting and dosing prototype for smaller batches, developed at a cost level of $1500.

71. What Biowaste Actually Works: The Stream Selection Hierarchy

    Why biowaste streams split into the ones that consistently work and the attractive ones that trap BSF operators, and the hierarchy that decides between them.

72. BSF Metrics #4 — Temperature: Substrate Is the Target, Air Is the Medium

    Why substrate temperature is the target and air only the medium, with dynamic climate control, the 70% RH floor and the cold-night trap.

73. KALARVO R1 Update + Public Project Introduction

    Round 1 of the public KALARVO research project: Finnish fish side streams tested as BSF substrate, with early findings on recipes, cycle length and climate control.

74. How a BSF case actually pays for itself: 4 levers, the stack, and why one alone never closes

    Four revenue levers — gate fee, protein, frass and oil — and why a BSF case only pays when at least three stack against the $43/t operating cost.

75. The 9 numbers we need before we can tell you if BSF will work

    The nine field numbers Manna checks before any BSF evaluation, with the real answers from a Southern African case.

76. BSF Metrics #3 — Substrate Moisture: The Variable That Controls Everything Else

    Why moisture is the variable inside feed quality that controls BCR, cycle length and consistency, and how dynamic climate control holds it at 75% RH.

77. KALARVO Recipe Test Round 1 Teaser

    A KALARVO recipe-test round 1 field note: 10,000 five-day-old larvae, one standardised tray setup and the climate controls that shaped the result.

78. BSF Bible teaser: the transparency gap

    A transparency-gap post on who is left without honest BSF pricing, quality and economics, and the real numbers Manna commits to publish.

79. AI in Practice #0 — How AI Actually Helps Run a BSF Case in an Afternoon Instead of a Month

    A practical account of how AI helps Manna move a BSF case from a waste question to an afternoon answer, from price data and CAPEX checks to feedstock profiles and a first-pass business case.

80. KALARVO Recipe-Testing Field Post

    A field note from the KALARVO recipe-testing work: real tests for a customer case, moving from spreadsheet analysis into practical rearing.

81. BSF Metrics #2 — Rearing Cycle Length: Why Extra Days Kill Your Margins

    Why extra rearing days cut throughput and margin, plus the 8-10-14 cycle rule, climate targets and the starter recipe that hold a short cycle.

82. What shows up first in a real biowaste case (it's almost never the biology)

    The five issues that decide a biowaste case before biology matters: the real disposal cost, free waste that isn't free, seasonal volume, feed regulation and site fit.

83. What if you are sitting on valuable biowaste without realising it?

    Why the biowaste nobody wants is the real opportunity, which streams already have buyers, and the output value that makes the numbers work.

84. Is BSF the right answer for your biowaste stream? The evaluation I actually run

    A five-question BSF evaluation for a biowaste stream: what the waste really is, what disposal costs today, what alternatives earn, what outputs sell for and the minimum viable gate fee.

85. BSF Metrics #1 — Bioconversion Ratio

    Why the bioconversion ratio is substrate-specific, what sets each substrate's maximum, the four reasons BCR drops and why climate control matters most.

86. Four Ways to Handle Biowaste — Where Each One Actually Wins

    Where biogas, composting, incineration and landfill each fit, and the 5–25 t/day distributed streams where black soldier fly processing wins instead.

87. BSF metrics series

    A seven-post series teaser on the BSF metrics that matter, from bioconversion ratio and cycle length to substrate, density and dried yield.

88. AI-Enhanced Workflow at Manna

    A practical example of running sales, marketing and knowledge work with a locally installed AI agent that logs its work for the next one.

89. Your AI Agent Has Amnesia. Here's How We Fixed It at Manna.

    How Manna Insect gave its AI agents a shared memory with one orientation file, process guides per work type and local project notes.

90. BSF profit is made on the buy, not the sell

    Why substrate cost and waste-stream sourcing decide the outcome in BSF, and why every waste stream is a separate business case.

91. BSF business case evaluation — the process that separates working facilities from the headlines

    A process for telling a working BSF facility from a headline: read the business as a commodity, anchor on soy meal, map the waste, model operating costs and pilot before building.

92. Local feed protein alternative — evaluation process

    A 4-step evaluation for adding locally produced black soldier fly protein to feed: real feed costs, nearby waste streams, local production economics and regulation.

93. Readiness for compliance and regulation in BSF production

    Why compliance is an operational design requirement in BSF production: the three regulatory interfaces, traceability, stabilization and documentation that decide whether a facility can scale or sell.

94. You have a biowaste problem. Could it actually become profitable?

    A 3-step evaluation — processing cost, output value and comparison with today's options — shows whether a biowaste stream could become profitable instead of a pure cost.

95. Monitoring and automation in BSF production

    What actually pays back in automation: why stability comes from visibility, why monitoring usually delivers the highest early ROI, and a practical failure-impact rule for deciding.

96. Frass handling and utilization in BSF production

    How frass affects BSF production efficiency: why frass handling is underestimated in volume, moisture and operational impact, plus stabilization, storage and utilization.

97. Processing and stabilization in BSF production

    Why processing and stabilization decide whether BSF larvae become a usable, safe and storable product: the three stabilization pathways, the drying bottleneck, upstream quality, buffering and the peak-load rule of thumb.

98. Harvesting and separation in BSF production: The bottleneck most farms discover too late

    Why harvesting and separation become the bottleneck in BSF production: the five-step harvest chain, throughput versus efficiency, moisture, harvest timing, buffer space and the 20–30 % capacity rule.

99. Biosecurity and contamination control in BSF production – Preventing problems before they scale

    Biosecurity as a flow problem in BSF production: the three contamination pathways, zoning, early warning signals and why containment beats elimination.

100. Feedstock management in BSF production: Controlling variability instead of chasing cheap inputs

     Why feedstock variability, not feedstock price, is the real risk in BSF production: the four dimensions of variability and where intake, blending, scheduling and energy control are gained.

101. Production capacity in BSF farming: Realistic output metrics that actually hold

     How to think about BSF production capacity realistically: the four capacity metrics that matter, why maximum density is a trap and the 60–75% planning rule.

102. OPEX in BSF production: What really drives €/kg output costs

     What really drives OPEX in BSF production: variability in feedstock, energy, harvesting, maintenance and yield consistency behind the €/kg output cost.

103. CAPEX in BSF production: What you actually pay for

     Where CAPEX in BSF production really goes: the capacity chain from structure and climate control to harvest, processing and automation, and where over-investment happens.

104. Marketing BSF products: Strategies for reaching B2B and B2C buyers

     How to market BSF products to B2B and B2C buyers: the key products and markets, sales and marketing channels, pitches by customer type, pricing and positioning tips.

105. Evaluating BSF frass quality: Key factors, measurement and business value

     The factors that shape BSF frass quality, how to measure it with lab tests and field checks, and its prices, ROI and market position for a BSF farm.

106. Key production output metrics in BSF farming: Measuring efficiency and ROI

     The key BSF farming output metrics — larval biomass yield, growth rate, survival rate, protein and fat, frass, energy and labor, ROI and cost per kg — with how to measure each and its financial impact.

107. Optimizing BSF frass processing: Techniques, equipment and value enhancement

     The key BSF frass processing steps — separation, drying, grinding, pasteurization, enrichment and packaging — with equipment costs by scale and the ROI business case.

108. What makes or breaks a BSF farming business?

     The critical success factors and deal-breakers in a BSF farming business, compared between developed and developing markets.

109. Results of the 3rd annual Insect Industry Survey, part 3 of 3

     The final part of the 2025 insect industry survey results: climatization use in BSF production, where insect farmers find information, substrate costs, production sizes and prices.

110. Key production costs in black soldier fly farming: Evaluation and business impact

     The most important BSF production costs evaluated — feedstock, labor, energy and climate control, processing and drying, facilities and regulation — and their business impact.

111. Results of the 3rd annual Insect Industry Survey, part 2 of 3

     Sales and purchasing results of the 2025 insect industry survey: the BSF products and services respondents sell and buy, their business partners and their sales channels.

112. Building local circular economy with black soldier fly farming

     How a local BSF network converts organic waste into feed and frass: the four circular steps, a working case study, partnership strategies and the economic and environmental benefits.

113. Results of the 3rd annual Insect Industry Survey, part 1 of 3

     Demographics of the 2025 insect industry survey: the top 10 countries, the employers and job titles of respondents, and their farming status, size of operation and plans.

114. Scale isn’t always the answer – the collapse of the industrial insect farming dream

     Why the industrial insect farming dream is faltering: the missing sustainability premium, soaring production costs, regulatory walls and the small-scale developing world contrast.

115. Climate control showdown: the right system for BSF farms

     Climate control options for a BSF farm compared: plastic tunnels, shipping containers, industrial vertical farms and Manna MIND, with DIY hacks, scalability and the verdict for each scale.

116. Building a professional level BSF farm for under $10,000

     A professional-level BSF farm for under $10,000: low-cost structures, Manna MIND climate control, production capacity, labor and the cost breakdown.

117. Top 10 most viable BSF business cases for 2025-2026

     The ten most viable black soldier fly business cases for 2025-2026 ranked, from poultry and aquaculture feed to frass, waste recycling and emerging niches, each with its market status.

118. How climate control reduces contamination risks in BSF larvae production

     How climate control cuts the contamination risks of BSF farming: precision humidity control, smart ventilation and stable sealed conditions against mold, pathogens and pests.

119. Why traditional animal farmers should add BSF farming to their setup

     Why chicken and pig farmers should add black soldier fly farming: low-cost feed, on-farm waste management, frass fertilizer, revenue diversification and sustainability.

120. Year-round BSF farming: How climate control ensures consistent feed supply

     How climate-controlled farming eliminates the seasonal instability of open-air BSF farming, with open-air versus controlled-environment comparison and affordable climate tech for small farms.

121. Why insect factories fail: a reality check for the insect industry

     The collapse of major insect protein producers exposed the cracks in industrial-scale business models: the investor trap, flawed assumptions, operational challenges and a smaller path forward.

122. The benefits of farming BSF larvae for fish feed

     Why fish farmers farm BSF larvae as feed: nutrition, substrate-tailored profile, local waste use, lower costs and sustainability, with considerations.

123. Economic benefits of climate-controlled BSF farming for smallholder farmers

     How Manna MIND climatization raises larval yields, cuts weather-related losses and unlocks government and NGO incentives for smallholder BSF farmers.

124. Using insect frass as fertilizer: Best practices and application

     How to apply insect frass as a fertilizer: dry versus liquid form, dosage and timing, and plant compatibility for vegetables, fruits and grains.

125. The ultimate guide to failing fast and spectacularly at insect farming

     A sarcastic step-by-step playbook for incinerating investor capital in insect farming: seven failure moves, from VC funding to over-processing, and the prize at the end.

126. Climate control and waste processing efficiency in BSF farming

     How precision climate control speeds up BSF waste processing: temperature effects on conversion rates, waste-to-biomass ratios and Manna MIND's role.

127. Soybean supply and price outlook: What insect farmers should know

     The 2025/26 global soybean outlook — record supply, feed and food demand, China stockpiling and price forecasts — and what it means for insect protein producers.

128. The benefits of farming black soldier fly and growing your own chicken feed

     Why poultry farmers farm BSF larvae as high-protein chicken feed: lower feed costs, local organic waste, high nutrition, low-cost rearing and extra income.

129. Boosting nutritional value: How controlled environments improve BSF larvae quality

     How Manna MIND climate control shapes larvae quality: the 25-35°C climate factor, precision fat and protein tailoring and consistent nutrition for aquafeed and poultry.

130. Energy-efficient climate control for black soldier fly farms

     How Manna MIND's low-energy design balances passive methods, adaptive sensors and solar power to keep BSF farms affordable, even fully off-grid.

131. Optimizing BSF production: The role of temperature and humidity control

     How the 25-35°C and 60-75 % humidity optimum can double larval growth rates, with case studies from Ghana, Vietnam and Kenya and low-cost solutions for small farmers.

132. Smart climate control for BSF farms: Comparing methods

     Climate control options for BSF farming compared, from low-cost DIY plastic tunnels to repurposed sea containers, indoor vertical farms and Manna MIND smart modular control.

133. Local insect protein and the global risks to soy availability

     Why tariff wars, geopolitics, climate shocks and logistics make imported soy fragile, and how locally produced insect protein buffers poultry feed supply chains.

134. From the front-lines of change: A sales representative's perspective on WCEF 2025

     Manna Insect's Head of Sales on WCEF 2025 in São Paulo: the conversations with financiers and policymakers and the case for scaling insect-based solutions now.

135. The insect farming industry: after the hype, real business emerges

     How the insect farming industry survived its hype wave: the big players' setbacks, the maturing market and the real opportunities in feed, aquaculture, pet food, waste upcycling and tech.

136. Efficient drying of black soldier fly larvae for post-processing

     The drying methods and equipment for BSF larvae — sun, oven, fluidized bed, freeze and belt drying — and how to choose based on scale, cost and desired quality.

137. Breeding and egg laying in black soldier fly farming

     The breeding environment, egg-laying traps, daily egg collection and hatching that keep a BSF farm supplied, and the climate control that monitors them.

138. BSF larvae in fish feed: Benefits for aquaculture

     The fish species that respond to BSF-based fish feed — tilapia, rainbow trout, salmon, catfish and carp — and the published studies behind the growth and immunity results.

139. Black soldier fly larvae as feed for various species

     How BSF larvae fit the diets of dogs and cats, hedgehogs, lizards and geckos, tropical birds, chickens, spiders and pigs, live or dried.

140. Black soldier fly larvae and contaminated substrates: Risks and implications

     How pathogens, mold, heavy metals and pest insects in contaminated substrates affect BSF larvae nutritional value, safety and frass usability.

141. Black soldier fly frass: A valuable fertilizer by-product

     Why BSF frass works as a fertilizer, how to treat it before use, and the factors that shape its NPK values and composition.

142. The benefits of using BSF larvae as a pet food ingredient

     Seven benefits of black soldier fly larvae in pet food: nutrition, sustainability, hypoallergenic proteins, digestibility, skin and coat health, versatility and an eco-conscious choice.

143. Typical nutritional values of black soldier fly larvae

     A breakdown of the typical nutritional profile of BSFL: protein, fats, calcium and phosphorus, fiber, vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates.

144. The challenges in farming BSF outdoors or in non-climatized spaces

     The climate-related risks of farming BSF outdoors or in non-climatized spaces — temperature, humidity, season, pests, weather, substrate and regulation — and how climatization technology tackles them.

145. Black soldier fly: A promising resource for medical, biomedical and cosmetics industries

     Where BSFL is used in medicine, biomedical research and cosmetics: wound healing, antimicrobial peptides, chitin, chitosan, cell culture media and skincare.

146. Commercial applications for black soldier fly farmers

     Seven business models a BSF farmer can build on: larvae for animal feed, waste processing, frass fertilizer, breeding, consultancy, biotech and micro-farming.

147. Black soldier flies vs. house flies and mealworms in waste management

     A comparison of black soldier fly larvae, house fly larvae and mealworms on waste conversion efficiency, byproduct value, and environmental and hygienic considerations.

148. Environmental benefits of using black soldier flies for waste management

     Five environmental benefits of using black soldier flies for organic waste management, from landfill methane reduction and lower emissions to protein, pest control and frass.

149. Results of the 2nd annual Insect Industry Survey, part 3 of 3

     Sales channels, the biggest obstacles, biowaste upcycling volumes, production sizes and regional BSF product prices from the last part of the 2024 survey.

150. Challenges in mass-producing black soldier flies

     The five challenges of scaling up black soldier fly production — climate control, feedstock, egg collection, disease and biosecurity, and automation — and what they do to CAPEX and OPEX.

151. BSF in aquaculture: A sustainable protein source

     Five factors that advocate using black soldier fly larvae as a sustainable, cost-effective protein source in aquaculture, from feed conversion to waste upcycling.

152. The benefits of climatization technology in insect farming

     Why stable temperature and humidity control matters in insect farming: five key benefits, from faster growth and year-round production to disease prevention and energy use.

153. What do black soldier flies eat?

     What BSF larvae eat — food waste, agricultural waste, brewery waste, manure and other organic materials — and what the adult flies do not eat.

154. The life cycle of black soldier fly

     The five main stages of the black soldier fly life cycle, plus the neonate and pre-pupa stages in detail.

155. How to start BSF production and scale it up profitably?

     A step-by-step path from learning the BSF basics and practising small scale production, through becoming professional and climatized scaling, to the factory.

156. Results of the 2nd annual Insect Industry Survey, part 2 of 3

     Buying and selling results of the 2nd annual insect industry survey: the BSF products and services respondents buy and sell, their channels, and biowaste costs.

157. Results of the 2nd annual Insect Industry Survey, part 1 of 3

     Demographics of the 2024 insect industry survey: the top 19 countries, the employers and job titles of the respondents, and their farming status, size of operation and plans.

158. What does Manna Insect actually do? Part 3

     The in-house Manna MIND climatization technology: how Manna's own sensor and control unit keeps the BSF production environment optimised automatically.

159. What does Manna Insect actually do? Part 2

     Manna's business validation and feasibility study mentoring: why BSF founders should fail fast and cheap, start small and test before scaling up.

160. What does Manna Insect actually do? Part 1

     Manna Insect answers the question it is often asked about what it sells: the Insect Farm Hub, with free and PRO content for BSF farming.

161. The future of insect farming from the job role point of view

     Future skills and job titles in the insect industry, from entomoculturist to insect quality assurance manager, explored with the help of AI.

162. Environmental impact of BSF farming

     How insect based feed from BSF larvae reduces the need for soy fields and fish, and what one 20ft Manna Insect Farming module contributes to the environment per year.

163. Why do we use black soldier fly (BSF)

     The nutritional content of BSF larvae, the best feed conversion ratio among insects, and why BSF feed is a sustainable, cost-effective option.

164. Manna Insect Global Insect Industry Survey spring 2023

     Results of the first global insect industry survey: 120+ respondents from 46 countries, their production sizes, the most common obstacles and what biowaste costs.

165. Research view on heat treatment for supermarket food waste used as a substrate for BSFL

     A research review of supermarket food waste as a BSFL substrate: the highlights, the key findings on heat treatment for microbiological safety, and the Science Direct full text.

166. Can parasites be a threat to BSF operations?

     One documented case of the Poultry Red Mite in a BSF colony, why rearing can attract parasites, and practical ways to avoid or get rid of red mites.

167. Frass – a forgotten business opportunity in insect farming

     What frass can do for soil, what it contains, and what retail frass prices look like across North America, Europe, Asia, Kenya and Australia.

168. Top regions having interest in black soldier fly rearing

     Where interest in black soldier fly rearing concentrates: the regional hot spots and the Google trending numbers, led by African countries.

169. Start with the biowaste opportunity

     A simple way to organise the material, location, operating and market questions before choosing a treatment route.

170. What to measure in a BSF pilot

     Define the questions, boundaries and records that make a pilot result useful for a later business or facility decision.

171. Replacing soy with BSF larvae as a protein source

     The first of five posts on replacing soy with BSF larvae looks at why rearing is a cost-effective protein option in small and medium scale.

172. Replacing soy with BSF larvae: the nutritional value (2/5)

     Post 2 of five on replacing soy with BSF larvae: the protein, fat, amino acid and mineral content of BSFL, with data from published studies.

173. Replacing soy with BSF larvae: reduced soy demand (3/5)

     Post 3 of five on replacing soy with BSF larvae: how using BSFL in animal feed reduces soybean demand and competition with human food.

174. Replacing soy with BSF larvae: sustainability (4/5)

     Post 4 of five on replacing soy with BSF larvae: how using BSFL in animal feed helps reduce the environmental impact of farming.

175. Replacing soy with BSF larvae: rearing in any weather (5/5)

     Post 5 of five on replacing soy with BSF larvae: how rearing and breeding in climatized containers works in pretty much all weather conditions.

176. Water consumption and land area: soy vs BSF

     A World Water Day calculation comparing the water and land area behind soybean feed production and BSF larvae feed production.

177. Insect rearing and solar power for sustainable farming

     From the big Sahara solar idea to the local answer: how solar-powered BSF containers bring low-energy protein production closer to home.

178. Thoughts from our startup and insect experience

     Notes from running the startup: why substrate testing, a standardised production model and failing fast while small keep a BSF business case real.

179. Interested in using insects for aquafeed?

     A link package of published research on using insects, especially black soldier fly, for fish and shrimp feed: studies, reviews and meta-analyses.

180. Identity: Does Manna Insect sell its services to individual people or companies?

     Who Manna Insect sells to: from global megacorps to individual side-hustle founders, and why the B2B and B2C lines blur in insect farming.