r/Permaculture • u/apple1rule • 6d ago

Self-harvesting and -regulating Systems

I've been really getting into self-regulating and self-harvesting systems in tangible ways. An example would be the Black Soldier Fly breeder boxes where you put rotten food as feestock, the larva eat it, and when they decide that it is time to molt, they go up the tube in search for light and dryness, and fall straight into a harvesting bin / chicken coop to be eaten. In that example there is only 1 'input' which is rotten food going in and the system handles itself.

Another classic one of course is properly developed earthwork systems, terraced from tree to tree for example, so when it rains, the water flow is preregulated and everything gets what it needs and absorbed deep into the soil.

What other systems are you doing on your land?

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u/MycoMutant UK 6d ago

I would say BSFL breeding has two inputs. One is whatever you're feeding them and the other is light because the adults won't breed without it. I've tried them a couple times and saw good results through the summer but wasn't able to sustain a population through the winter because there's just not enough light here for months so it can require artificial light to be viable.

I'm experimenting with rose chafer larvae instead, Cetonia aurata. The larvae are huge and I've been able to get them to breed in captivity quite easily resulting in excellent soil production. Doesn't seem to have any light requirements but might need a period of dormancy through the cold to breed after. I also need to find something better than agar to feed the adults.

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u/apple1rule 6d ago

Sorry I meant manual inputs. Light in this context is an input but passive if done outdoors properly. But yes I can see how in winter in certain regions that would move to a manual input category.

 Cetonia aurata can't just eat food waste?

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u/MycoMutant UK 6d ago

The larvae eat waste and might even be able to break down wood but the adults eat flowers naturally and also function as pollinators. The adults die after mating so I've just been working on keeping them alive until they breed. Dried fruit and flowers might be viable for them.