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What do black soldier flies eat?
Black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) is a species known for their ability to consume and recycle a wide variety of organic (waste) materials, making them highly valuable for waste management and sustainability efforts. However, it’s their larvae—not the adult flies—that are responsible for this remarkable feeding behavior.
01 · Larval diet
The Larval Diet
Black soldier fly larvae are voracious feeders and thrive on decomposing organic matter. Their diet includes:
Food Waste:
- Fruits, vegetables, and other kitchen scraps.
- Spoiled or leftover food that would otherwise go to landfills.
Agricultural Waste:
- Crop residues, plant material, and other byproducts of farming.
Brewery waste, including spent grains.
Manure:
- Animal manure, including that from poultry, cattle, and pigs. This ability makes them useful in agricultural systems for managing livestock waste.
Other Organic Materials:
- Rotting meat, fish, or dairy.
02 · Adults
What Adults Eat
Adult black soldier flies do not eat solid food. Instead, they rely on the energy reserves accumulated during their larval stage. They may sip on water or nectar but do not contribute to waste recycling.
03 · Why it matters
Why Their Diet Matters
The black soldier fly’s feeding habits have significant environmental and economic benefits:
- Waste Reduction: Their larvae can reduce organic waste volume by up to 70% (depends highly on the source material composition, recipe and growth environment).
- Sustainability: They convert low-value waste into high-value protein and compost (frass).
- Circular Economy: The larvae themselves can be harvested as a sustainable feed for livestock and aquaculture.
In summary, black soldier flies primarily consume organic waste, with their larvae being the true powerhouse of this process. Their ability to transform waste into valuable resources makes them a cornerstone of sustainable waste management practices, alternative protein source for farm animals and pets, but also for human food consumption as an ingredient.
04 · Learn more
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Related topics and pages
- The life cycle of black soldier fly — the stage-by-stage view of where the voracious larvae fit in the BSF life cycle
- Why do we use black soldier fly (BSF) — the companion article on the feed conversion and nutrition behind the eating
- Articles library — the practical guides this article joins
Read next
- The life cycle of black soldier fly — the stage-by-stage view of the fly whose larvae do the eating
- Environmental impact of BSF farming — the environmental case for the waste-eating larvae
- Why do we use black soldier fly (BSF) — the companion article on feed conversion and nutrition
- BSF in aquaculture: A sustainable protein source — five factors that advocate the larvae as a sustainable aquafeed protein source
Next step
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