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  1. #31
    Moderator urbanfarmer's Avatar
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    Re: cultivating BSFL for feed

    Quote Originally Posted by davidstcldfl
    BSF....any tips or tricks to get them to come in the 1st place ? I thought I remembered reading that a little milk seems to attract them ...?
    A bucket full of shit works every time.

    I have rabbits, of course. No seriously, I used rabbits. Don't piss off the wife/neighbors you crazy rednecks!!!

  2. #32
    Members bsfman's Avatar
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    Re: cultivating BSFL for feed

    Quote Originally Posted by davidstcldfl
    BSF....any tips or tricks to get them to come in the 1st place ? I thought I remembered reading that a little milk seems to attract them ...?
    They are only native to the warmer climates in the US (and worldwide). North of Kentucky, it's unlikely you will have a native population. They don't do well at high altitudes either - unlikely you will find them much above 2500 feet above sea level.

    They are attracted to putrescent waste. Unfortunately, initially you will have fruit flies and house flies swarming around. It takes about 19 to 21 days before you start seeing BSF larvae in your bin. Once they are established, they will drive away fruit and houseflies due to a pheromone they secrete. I use soured cracked corn (steep some cracked corn in water in a covered bucket with a cup or two of sugar added) That'll bring 'em in! Or even better, buy a sack of Manna Pro sweet feed, soak it in a covered bucket and dump it in your bin!

    Gee, I wish my website had not been hacked and destroyed. I had lots of details there about raising them

    Check out http://blacksoldierflyblog.com/ for some great info. Jerry, the webmaster is a good friend of mine. Also the forum at http://blacksoldierflyblog.com/forum/index.php

    Another good info spot is http://thebiopod.com/forum/index.php

    Most worm farmers hate these critters because they invade worm bins and compete with worms for food. But BSF will eat all the stuff you aren't supposed to feed worms, digest it, poop it out and BSF poo is the IDEAL worm food! I even save my grease and bacon drippings and feed it to my BSF! If you raise worms, these are the perfect critters to pre-digest all the stuff worms aren't supposed to have, Once it's passed thru a BSF gut, innoculated with beneficial bacteria, it becomes the perfect worm chow! It makes great compost all by itself too! I generate more BSF poop then my worms can possibly consume, so i use the surplus as mulch. Native worms will soon move in and the combination will totally enrich your soil!

  3. #33
    Moderator davidstcldfl's Avatar
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    Re: cultivating BSFL for feed

    Quote Originally Posted by urbanfarmer
    ....you crazy rednecks!!!
    ... How did you know ?....

    Thanks for the info guys !
    Now, if I can just find time to build a " bug barracks ''.....
    "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same." - President Ronald Reagan

  4. #34
    Moderator urbanfarmer's Avatar
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    Re: cultivating BSFL for feed

    Quote Originally Posted by davidstcldfl
    Quote Originally Posted by urbanfarmer
    ....you crazy rednecks!!!
    ... How did you know ?....

    Thanks for the info guys !
    Now, if I can just find time to build a " bug barracks ''.....
    You forget we've met, sir!

    If you must know, the smell gave it away! LOL, JUST KIDDING

  5. #35
    Members Bioritize's Avatar
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    Re: cultivating BSFL for feed

    Bummer, I didn't even think about altitude effecting the bugs.

    Any ideas on high altitude bug options for fish food? I will be moving to Paonia Colorado in Dec and would like to grow most of my own fish food, duck weed and what kind of bugs?


    Thanks again dudes

  6. #36
    Moderator davidstcldfl's Avatar
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    Re: cultivating BSFL for feed

    Back on Aug 28, 2011, bsfman wrote....
    I'll dig up some photos showing construction details and post them later.
    You also menetioned a lid and ramp improvements..."?"

    bsfman, would you plese consider an update.."?" Spring is comming and many like myself may be starting to build one...Thanks.....
    "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same." - President Ronald Reagan

  7. #37
    Members bsfman's Avatar
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    Re: cultivating BSFL for feed

    Quote Originally Posted by davidstcldfl
    BSF....any tips or tricks to get them to come in the 1st place ? I thought I remembered reading that a little milk seems to attract them ...?
    David, they should be easy to attract now in the St Cloud area given the recent Florida weather!

    One of the best attractants is soured cracked corn. Snag a bag at your local feed store, fill a bucket up with it to about the 4 gallon level, dump a cup or two of sugar in it and fill it with water to just above the level of the corn. The corn will soak up the water and the sugar stimulates microbial growth. Snap the bucket lid on and set it in a warm place (full sun is okay). After a few days, you'll have a semi-funky slowly bubbling bucket of BSF candy! Salt your bin with the cracked corn bait and they should find it soon. Typical time from setting bait to observing BSF larvae in the bin? About 19-21 days.

    The egglaying females are particularly attracted to bait that has hatchling larvae in it, so once you get eggs that have hatched out, your colony growth will really take off due to the additional egglaying the hatchlings attract!

  8. #38
    Moderator davidstcldfl's Avatar
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    Re: cultivating BSFL for feed

    Thanks for the great info bsfman....

    I was interested in any 'new design changes' that you may have come up with , to the 'barracks'...
    Maybe like the ramp and lid improvement you mentioned ?

    I'll be building one very soon ...
    "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same." - President Ronald Reagan

  9. #39
    Members bsfman's Avatar
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    Re: cultivating BSFL for feed

    Quote Originally Posted by davidstcldfl
    Thanks for the great info bsfman....

    I was interested in any 'new design changes' that you may have come up with , to the 'barracks'...
    Maybe like the ramp and lid improvement you mentioned ?

    I'll be building one very soon ...
    Use spar varnish or urethane on the entire interior surfaces. Use 1/2" ply on the ramps and lid rather than luan. Use built-in shims on the lid (1 by 2 works good) and hinge the lid in 4 or more spots. I would recommend a smaller bin than the one in the diagram, because I seem to get a denser population in my 7 sq ft bin than my 14 sq ft bins. But if you opt to do the same size as in the diagram, it's WAY easier to assemble it in two 4 foot long sections and splice it together with plywood and silicone caulk than to assemble it full size and then have to carry it to your preferred location. Seal all seams with silicone caulk. If you set the open base on pavers, you don't need to build the 1X2 frame at the base. And finally, I have discovered that adult BSF are FAR more attracted to yellow than white! I would paint the exterior bright yellow!

    Use the sketch as a basic guide and innovate!

  10. #40
    Moderator davidstcldfl's Avatar
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    Re: cultivating BSFL for feed

    Great ! Thanks again bsfman...
    Maybe I'll paint it white, with big yellow smilley faces ...
    "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same." - President Ronald Reagan

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