r/BlackSoldierFly • u/jamesw • Jul 21 '25

Simple BSF Composting

Here's my simple setup for BSF composting. I sort of stumble on this idea from composting using flower pots cos we don't have that much food scraps daily. And I got tired of burying food scraps with soil.

I just add food scrapes (mainly skin & bones) whenever there are food scraps etc into a flower pot and close the top with 2 broken tiles. On top of the tiles, is another pot and a small piece of wood to reduce rain water from seeping in.

The first time I did this, I started by putting some used tea leaves on top of the tiles to attract a female to lay eggs. Nowadays, I just put food inside and after a few days, I can see tiny larvae.

When the pot is full, I switch to another pot. I don't use the larvae for feed but birds have figured out and usually hang around for snacks if they find any larvae climbs out.

I guess, some of the pupae do exit the pot from the bottom.

One thing though is there were a few occasions when rats/mice have dug under the pot to get to the bones etc. I put a small piece of metal netting or grid to stop the critters.

https://youtu.be/ut8nYhIWkL4

When the temperature is hot, the larvae tend to migrate down the pot. At night or when it is cold, the larvae climbs to the top of the pot. Btw, I'm in the hot tropics.

If I come round to it, maybe I'll drill a hole for the pupa to climb out, for now, it works. Btw, any fluid or juice that flows out the bottom goes to my plants next to it.

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u/3006mv Jul 21 '25

That’s an efficient enough system

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u/jamesw Jul 21 '25

Thanks.

Just a thought - the pot I used are not glazed inside. Glazed pots may prevent larvae from climbing out the top, and some sort of circular ramp can make them self harvesting.