How to Start Black Soldier Fly (BSF) Farming — Turn Your Waste into Feed and Fertiliz

[Henlus]

Many farmers complain that feed takes up 60–70% of their expenses. And it’s true — feed prices alone can break even the most hardworking farmer. But what if you could grow your own high-quality animal feed right in your backyard, using waste that would have been thrown away?

That’s where Black Soldier Fly (BSF) farming comes in. These harmless insects are nature’s recyclers — they turn food waste into protein-rich larvae that chickens, fish, and pigs love. And the best part? They thrive in Nigeria’s warm climate.

Below is black soldier fly. If you observe manure pile carefully you'll see them.
   

Below is bsf pupae or maggot. You can feed them to livestocks and fish and allow some to hatch into adults
   
   

Here’s how you can start small — even with 2 plastic bin. One (Larvae Bin) is for maggot growing and the other (Love Nest) is where adult flies mate and lay eggs.

[Henlus]

🪣 How to Start BSF Farming

You don’t need any fancy tools to begin. Just get a plastic bin or drum, drill small holes at the bottom for drainage, and fill it with moist kitchen waste or market leftovers (like fruit peels, yam, pap, etc.) mixed with manure.

Below is a simple larvae bin made from jerry  can
   

Place the bin under shade, and in about 5–7 days, adult BSF will likely visit to lay eggs — they’re already in our environment.

If you want faster results, buy BSF eggs or larvae online or from local farms (₦3k–₦5k per spoon of eggs). Once hatched, the larvae feed like crazy and grow in just 10–14 days.

 Below are bsf eggs
   

You can harvest daily to feed your poultry or fish directly, or sun-dry and store them for later. The leftover waste (called frass) becomes excellent organic fertilizer for your crops.

[Henlus]

⚙️ Important Tips

• [] Keep the bin moist but not wet.[] Cover loosely with a net to prevent houseflies.[] Save some larvae to pupate and become breeding stock.[] Avoid metal containers — they get too hot under the sun.

Start with 2 bin and scale up once you understand their life cycle.

🐝 Simple BSF Love Nest Setup

The love nest is where adult BSF mate and lay eggs. It doesn’t have to be fancy.

🧰 Materials Needed:

• [] A small cage, mesh box, or old mosquito net (about 2ft × 2ft × 2ft). Cover everywhere with net so that they don't fly away. [] Dry sticks or folded cardboard (egg-laying spots)[] A small container of rotting fruit or food waste (attracts BSF)[] A shallow plate of water for humidity
• A shaded or semi-sunny area (they prefer light, not darkness)
  

Below is where they lay eggs. This one is pieces of wood stacked on top of each other and held in place by rubber band. But a small space is created between the woods by inserting 2 small piece of wood between them.  The black soldier flies will lay eggs in this space.
   
💡 Steps:

1. [] Place the net cage in a warm, quiet outdoor spot.[] Put your bait (rotting fruit) inside — it will attract adult BSF.[] Add dry sticks or folded cardboard above the bait — females lay eggs there.[] Mist lightly daily to keep humidity around 60–70%.
2. After 3–5 days, look for small yellowish egg clusters between the cardboard.
   

Collect the eggs and place them near food waste in your larvae bin to hatch.

[Henlus]

🌱 Continuous Cycle

Once your colony grows, you’ll have a self-sustaining system:

• [] Adults breed in the love nest.[] Eggs go to the larvae bins.[] Larvae grow into pupae.[] Pupae become new adults — and the cycle continues.

You’ll hardly need to buy eggs again.

💡 Conclusion

BSF farming is one of the most profitable and sustainable ways to cut down feed costs, improve animal growth, and reduce waste on your farm.

You’re not just saving money — you’re also cleaning the environment, producing organic fertilizer, and creating a circular system that feeds itself.

Start small, learn the process, and soon you’ll be turning garbage into gold — literally.

More info at
https://www.echocommunity.org/resources/...6dfaa3f8b4

[CassavaBoss]

Wow, this is gold. I’ve been throwing away fruit peels every day, didn’t know they could turn into feed like this. Definitely trying it.

[Suarus]

How do you harvest the larvae daily. do they crawl out on their own or you scoop them?

[Danny]

Thanks for breaking it down in simple steps. Most tutorials online make it sound like rocket science.

[Vera]

I once saw BSF around my compost heap but didn’t know what they were. Now it makes sense! Nature really provides everything.

[Agtech]

Please, where can one get the BSF eggs in Lagos? I’ve checked Jumia but didn’t find any.

[Kiwi]

Please, can I use cassava peels too, or is it only fruit waste?

[MamaGreens]

Respect to the OP 🙌. This kind of content makes farming exciting again.

[Henlus]

For anyone wondering, yes, the flies don’t disturb like houseflies. They don’t even eat much, they just breed and die off.

[Henlus]

How do you harvest the larvae daily. do they crawl out on their own or you scoop them?

There are two main ways to collect your larvae each day:

1. Self-Harvesting (Automatic Crawling Out)
When the larvae mature, they naturally crawl away from the waste to pupate. If your bin has ramps leading to a collection tray, the prepupae will crawl out by themselves and drop into the container. You just empty it daily or every few days — simple and clean. Checkout this setup below:
   

2. Manual Harvesting (Scooping)
If you want younger larvae for feeding fish or poultry, you can scoop them directly from the waste using a sieve or hand scoop.

[Henlus]

Please, where can one get the BSF eggs in Lagos? I’ve checked Jumia but didn’t find any.

You can contact bsf king 
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573759763962

[Henlus]

Please, can I use cassava peels too, or is it only fruit waste?

Yes. But not much. Softer wastes like manure, fruit wastes are preferred. Unless you'll  grind it and even at that it is not so nutritious. So combine it with other wastes

[Kiwi]

Yes. But not much. Softer wastes like manure, fruit wastes are preferred. Unless you'll  grind it and even at that it is not so nutritious. So combine it with other wastes

Thanks