John Schneider, a professor of entomology at Mississippi State University, is studying the black soldier fly as a potential solution to dealing with large amounts of waste while also generating an animal feed product.
“Black soldier flies are 40 to 45 percent protein by dry weight,” he said. “Theoretically, one metric ton can be produced per day in the space of a medium-sized house, and used as a feed product.”
Harvested larvae can be dried and milled to create a high-protein meal for livestock, poultry and aquaculture consumption, Schneider said. Due to their high oil content, black soldier fly larvae may even be useful for biofuel production.
“They’re not a known disease carrier, they don’t bite or sting, and they’re not a nuisance,” he said. “They’re a versatile species with huge potential.”