So far the worms seem unbothered by the heat. They continue to eat through pounds & pounds of food scraps every week & are rapidly multiplying.

What I didn’t expect to also be multiplying in my worm sanctuary are the huge (for a fly), wild, black soldier flies😳. Each week when I open the sanctuary lid to feed the worms, there is a swarm of biblical proportion as the newly hatched black soldier flies exit into the world.

Although menacing looking, the black soldier fly does not bite or sting & does not spread disease like common houseflies.

The black soldier fly is considered a “mimic fly.” When full size, it mimics the appearance of an organ pipe mud dauber wasp (& relatives) with its elongated antennae & narrow “wasp waist.”

Black soldier fly larvae (as seen in the video clip above) are plentiful in my worm sanctuary; owing to the fact that adult females lay 200-600 eggs at a time. They tolerate acidity & heat better than earthworms & thus are well-suited for sub-tropical/tropical climates. The larvae feast on all manner of organic matter; expediting the composting process. In addition to aiding in decomposition of food scraps, they produce a granulated, odorless residue called “frass” that is used directly as an organic fertilizer or- as in my setting- is further composted by the worms. The black soldier fly larvae also eat larvae of other fly species which controls the population of the less desirable, stench-producing fly species. Black soldier fly larvae are an alternative source of protein for animal feed (namely chickens, ducks & pigs).

Since gaining a reputation as one of the most efficient creatures at turning organic matter into compost & being a high protein, cost-efficient animal feed source, commercial black soldier fly farms can be found throughout the world. I certainly didn’t intend to have a black soldier fly farm, but I welcome the wild helpers to the crew! If they start to overtake the worm’s space (likely), I’ll have to make them a dedicated bin….all in my quest for high-quality soil amendments & subsequent high-quality food🤲🏾.