Black Soldier Fly

Introduction–

Mr. Rahul got in touch with Vigyan Ashram for the BSF business model. Vigyan Ashram connected Rahul with Admiral general Mr. Hasabnis for waste management of military food canteen at Bombay sappers,  Rahul and Vigyan Ashram together put up the technology demonstration on open Day 30 July 2022. We decided to build a system starting from the demo unit onwards  we proceed to  make a composting system using BSF larvae + BARC culture.

Objective–

1) To understand the complete life cycle of black soldier fly.

2) To take different trials and monitor the system regularly.

3) To set up BSF farm and kitchen compost unit for 100 kg kitchen waste including cooked and raw vegetables waste.

24/08/2022-

7 g of eggs were collected.

29/08/2022- 

20 g of Eggs + pupa were collected.

20 gm may  6 gm puppa and 14 g eggs.

Eggs Hatching Process :-

3 trays are taken and water and food are added to those trays are given in the table below. Then, with the help of a sieve, BSF eggs were placed on top of the tray

Tray No.	1	2	3
Date	24/08/2022	29/08/2022	29/08/2022
Feed	300g cow feed	200g fish feed	50g Dry azolla +150g Rice
Water (ml)	450	400	250
BSF eggs (g)	4+3=7	7	7

5/09/2022

Tray 1&2 the eggs hatched and larva came out .Larvae movement was good..

Tray 3 eggs didn’t hatch.

Trays 1 and 2 were each with 50 g cow feed + 100 ml water.

7/09/2022

Trays 1 and 2 were each filled with 150 g cow feed + 3 00 ml water..

8/09/2022

The larvae of these trays were of different sizes so separated the two sizes in different trays A(small size) and B(big size).

A: 150gm feed + 300ml water

B: 400gm feed + 800ml water

12/09/2022

Tray B we used in the composter for decomposition of waste. 

The total weight of larva was 1kg and in 1gm 30 larva were present.

The small size larva were 500gm and in 1gm 102 larva. So we arranged 9 trays each of 3 of Cow feed, Rice & Rice + azolla.

Tray No.	A1,A2,A3	B1,B2,B3	C1,C2,C3
Larvae(gm)	55	55	55
Feed	900gm(Cow feed)	1400 gm(Rice)	1200gm(Rice)+600gm(azolla)
Water(ml)	1800	–	–

22/09/2022

Today we measured the size of BSF larvae and their growth in Azolla, cow feed and rice.

Tray No.	Larvae(gm)	Gm=No of larvae	Compost(gm)
A1	750	1=8	830
A2	769	1=9	954
A3	653	1=11	930
B1	348	1=18	288
B2	333	1=22	430
B3	310	1=30	413
C1	310	2=29	750
C2	273	2=30	780
C3	289	2=33	680

Moisture Content

-Rice=64%

-Azolla + rice=84%

-Feed =56%

Feeding:

Tray No.	A1,A2,A3	B1,B2,B3	C1,C2,C3
Feed	400gm(Cow feed)	900 gm(Rice)	400gm(Cow feed)
Water(ml)	800	–	800

30/09/2022

Feeded Tray B1,B2&B3:-100gm feed+200ml water.

10/10/2022

Separated the BSF pupa from trays A(950gm) , B(700) and C(650gm) and kept for making flies.

Observations of of the above BSF trial on tray with cow feed, Azolla and rice

1. The growth rate of the larva have seen best in the cow feed.
2. In rice and azolla the growth rate is good but the larva’s are not healthy.
3. Larva’s are healthy in cow feed.
4. Got 2.3kg pupa for flies generation.

12/09/2022-23-09/2022

After discussion with Dixit sir, to reduce other worms in the composter he told to add the BSF larva in one side rack and fill the waste equally in the above 3 racks every day.

So we removed Rack 6 and filled equally in Rack 2,4,6

Filled 330gm BSF larva of 15 days in Rack 2,4,6 which contained 30larva in 1gm

Date	Garbage(kg)	Dry Matter(kg)	Culture	Temperature
12/09/2022	12	3	500	–
13/09/2022	8	3	500	–
15/09/2022	5	2	500	–
16/09/2022	13	3	500	–
17/09/2022	12	3	500	27,25,25
18/09/2022	5	1	500	–
19/09/2022	16	4	1000	–
20/09/2022	16	4	1000	–
22/09/2022	9	3	500	22,25,25
23/09/2022	14	4	1000	25,26,25

Observation

1. No smell as long as kitchen waste was in the composter.
2. Leachate seen
3. Smell evident on removal from composter.
4. Larva’s could not be separated
5. 600 gm pre pupa could be separated
6. Good movement of larva’s in composter which got reduced on removal from composter to cut IBC.

Conclusion:

Larva’s could not be separated from the compost, So we decide to do composting in the crate system.

24/09/2022

Went to Alandi to bring 5 DOL BSF larva. For the next BSF trial.

30/09/2022

Brought 10gm eggs and kept for hatching in 400 gm feed and 800 ml water.

Also brought 1.5kg 15DOL larva and gave 500gm feed.

04/10/2022

Homogenised 1551gm pre-pupa +dust and removed 600gm pre-pupa from it and kept for making flies.

26/09/2022-05/10/2022

After discussion with Dixit sir, about how to increase the decomposition rate, we decided to do the composting in the crate.

So we took the crate and every day added 5kg cooked and uncooked waste with 250ml microbial culture in these 10 days and added 200gm BSF larva of 5 DOL in the crate on the 1st day. Below the crate we put sawdust to absorb the litched.

Crate size 53*36*30.5 i.e 58 lit capacity

Observation

1) The composting was good as the larva have consumed the waste in more amount.

2) The size of larva increased.

3) The foul smell was there as at the bottom moisture was more as we didn’t added sawdust.

12 October

Today was the 17th day of the composting crate. So we attached the sieve to the frame for sieving the bsf larva from the crate.

So we transferred the compost from crate to this sieve.

With the help of this sieve we removed 2998 gm of BSF larva from half of the compost.

1kg cow feed was given to the 1998gm pre pupa

13 October 2022

Today we separated the remaining pre-pupa from the compost, they were 1272gm and kept them in the feeding tray.

14 October 2022

Today we separated 1790gm pre-pupa from the sawdust which was kept below the tray.

Total Weight of Pre Pupa :6.060Kg 

Weight of compost:4.900Kg 

LOD of compost: 65%

LOD Pre puppa: 40% & 52 

Observation:

1. There was a foul smell for compost in less amount.
2. From 50 kg waste we got 4.9 kg compost and 6.1kg pre puppa
3. The weight reduction was 90%.
4. Growth of larvae was good.
5. Lichet dropping

Conclusion:

Lichet was dropping from the crate, so decided to take next trial by adding sawdust.

14/10/2022

After discussion with Dixit sir, we decided to compost in 2 crates and now by adding sawdust in amount of 40% with respect to the waste.

So I took 2 crates and put a shade net at the bottom and kept sawdust at the bottom of two crates. Also the 10 gm eggs were hatched and from it we got 522 gm 5DOL larva.

From today we added 5kg waste in each crate and on that added 261gm larva on each tray.

2 Carat  trial each carat 435g (compost + Larvae)

Date	Kitchen waste(kg)	Wood Dust(kg)	Culture(ml)
14/10/2022	10	4	500
15/10/2022	10	4	500
16/10/2022	10	4	500
17/10/2022	10	4	500
18/10/2022	10	4	500
19/10/2022	10	4	500
20/10/2022	20	4	1000
21/10/2022	20	4	1000
Total	100	32	5000

15/10/ 2022

Today we made wooden strips and kept in the BSF flies mesh so that flies can lay eggs. And below that kept rotten apple below it.

17/10/2022

Larvae grow faster in kitchen waste than in cow feed

19/10/2022

Collected 5 grams of BSF eggs.

Separated the BSF puppa  and Pre-puppa in the tray.

2 kg of cow  feed was added to the remaining pre-puppa. 

20 /10/ 2022

BSF Puppa was separated from BSF Pre-Puppa. Its weight was 2.860 kg.

21/10/ 2022

Put 500g of cow feed + 1000ml of water in the tray and put a net on the tray and keep 5g of eggs for hatching.

22/10/2022

Collected 4.2gm eggs and kept for hatching in Tray 1

29/10/2022

Collected 8.56gm eggs and kept for hatching in Tray 2

31/10/2022

Separated pre-pupa from crate 1

01/11/2022

Separated pre-pupa from crate 2

We got 5982 gm pre-pupa from 522gm 5DOL larva by feeding 100 kg kitchen waste. We got 13kg compost from this system.

Removed 7.5gm eggs and kept for hatching in tray3 with 400gm cow feed.

04/11/2022

Removed 3.66gm eggs and kept for hatching in tray 3

07/11/2022-16/11/2022

After discussion with Dixit sir, we decided to do compost in 2 crates and now by adding only 10kg cooked food waste and sawdust in amount of 40% with respect to the waste.

So we added 165gm 5DOL larvas in both crates each.

We added 5kg waste in both crates each from 7/11/2022-12/11/2022.

13/11/2022

On 7 day the larvaes started to came out so transferred the crates to azolla bed. Today added 14kg waste.

14/11/2022

Today we filled 20kg waste in the azolla bed.

15/11/2022

Today we filled 16kg waste in the azolla bed.

16/11/2022

Today we filled 20kg waste in azolla bed.

19/11/2022

Today we separated 15kg 15DOL larva from the bed.

Observation

1. There was foul smell in the surrounding as the moisture content in the kitchen waste was more.
2. As larva’s were falling from the crate so transferred to azolla bed.
3. From 130kg of kitchen waste we got 15kg larva’s.
4. The growth of larva was good and they were healthy as compared to previous cycle as the waste contain large amount of cooked food.

Chicken Waste trial

Date	Chicken waste/Kichan waste Kg
16 Nov 2022	5.5	CW
27 Nov 2022	3	KW
29 Nov 2022	7.5	KW
1 Dec 2022	6	KW
2 Dec 2022	6.5	KW
3 Dec 2022	3.5	KW
4 Dec 2022	5	KW
5 Dec 2022	5	KW
6 Dec 2022	5.2	KW
7 Dec 2022	2	KW
8 Dec 2022	1.5	KW
9 Dec 2022	3	KW
10 Dec 2022	3.5	KW

15/11/2022

Today we started the trial of BSF with chicken waste. Added 261gm 5DOL in 3.5kg chicken waste.

16/11/2022

The above test failed because the dog disturbed the system.

So took 200lit barrel and started the new trial by adding 5.5kg waste chicken and 230gm 5DOL larva’s.

Hanged the barrel to the roof as dog should not disturb the system.

21/11/2022

Chicken waste and kitchen waste trial

Date	Chicken waste/ kitchen waste Kg
16 Nov 2022	5.5	CW
27 Nov 2022	3	KW
29 Nov 2022	7.5	KW
1 Dec 2022	6	KW
2 Dec 2022	6.5	KW
3 Dec 2022	3.5	KW
4 Dec 2022	5	KW
5 Dec 2022	5	KW
6 Dec 2022	5.2	KW
7 Dec 2022	2	KW
8 Dec 2022	1.5	KW
9 Dec 2022	3	KW
10 Dec 2022	3.5	KW
11 Dec 2022	4	KW
Total	61.2

OBSERVATIONS:

1. The bsf larvae can consume and grow in chicken waste.
2. Foul smell came in more amounts.
3. Growth of larvae is good.

27/11/2022

3.5 kg of cooked rice was added to the larvae in the tank.

OBSERVATION:-

-Foul smell came in more amounts.

-Growth and moving of larvae is good.

03/12/2022

Purchased 1230 gm of 8 day old larvae from Rahul.

Date	Garbage Kg	Saw dust Kg	Culture ml	waste type
4 Dec 2022	31	5	1000	kitchen
6 Dec 2022	25	5	1000	kitchen
7 Dec 2022	33	5	1000	kitchen
9 Dec 2022	43	10	1200	kitchen
10 Dec 2022	15.67	5	–	chicken
15 Dec 2022	20	9	1000	kitchen
17 Dec 2022	25	4	1000	kitchen
Total	192.67	47	6200

Observation:-

• Larvae growth and moving good.
• After putting the chicken waste, there was a lot of smell.
• It took time to separate the Pre-puppa and compost.

16/12/2022

3 g of larvae were collected and put he hatching process.

18/12/2022

2g of larvae were collected and given to Tejas.

22/12/2022

I have taken different three trial of black soldier fly using,

1.Shade net basket,

2.half IBC

3.drum.

Trial Started at Vigyan Ashram and Mukhabdhir school.

5 to 6 kg of kitchen waste was put daily in the shed net basket in Mukhabadhir School.

Observation:-

Half IBC	Drum	Mukhbadhir school Shade net basket
-Starting larvae growth is drum system good and half IBC system is slow. -No smell. -No leachate seen. -The waste is completely composted.	-Starting larvae growth good. -No smell -Puppa growth is good. -The waste is not completely composted. -50% of waste is not composted. -No smell as long as kitchen waste was in the drum. -After removing the compost from the shade net basket, the larvae became separate easily.	-No smell. -No leachate seen. -The waste is completely composted. -Good larvae growth.

Conclusion:-
In 16 days we processed 573 kg of kitchen waste and got 8 kg of pre-puppa from two setups. The third set up in half IBC failed because of anaerobic conditions are happened due to which larval are dead. 

02/01/2023

Vigyan ashram shade net basket Trial

Date	Kitchen waste (kg)	Wood Dust(kg)
02/01/2023	8	4
03/01/2023	9	2
06/01/2023	7	0
07/01/2023	8.5	5
08/01/2023	9	3
09/01/2023	12	3
10/01/2023	9	2
11/01/2023	9.5	2
12/01/2023	10	3
14/01/2023	8	2
16/01/2023	14	3
Total	104	29

Observation:-

• No smell.
• No leachate dropping.
• The waste is completely not composted.
• good larvae growth.

03/01/2023

3g of larvae were collected and put he hatching process.

16/01/2023

Larvae used mukhbadhir school trial.

17/01/2023 to 01/02/2023

Shade net basket trial at Mukhbadhir school, Pabal

5 to 6 kg of kitchen waste was put daily in the shed net basket.

Observation:-

• No smell.
• No leachate seen.
• The waste is completely composted.
• good larvae growth.
• After removing the compost from the shade net basket, the larvae become not separate easily.

Conclusion :-

In 14 days, we processed 104 kg of kitchen waste and got 3.6 kg of pre-puppa.

11/02/2023

5 day old 2kg larvae purchased from Army public school Alandhi.

Shade Net basket Trial

When we put wet waste in the earlier half-cut IBC tank, sawdust has to be added to manage the excess moisture. Eventually, as this excess moisture caused the larvae to die from some form of infection, we decided to make a system in which we constructed a basket using bars and shade nets to contain the leaking water. And after dumping the garbage, we hung this system on some trees which eventually helped the water drain. Adequate moisture facilitated the isolation of larvae from the compost

12/02/2023

I have taken different three trials on BSF using,

1. Shade net basket -500 gm larvae used.
2. half IBC-700gmlarvae used.
3. composting mixer trial-700gm larvae used.

12/02/2023 To 09/03/2023

Shade net basket trial at Mukhbadhir school, Pabal

4 to 5 kg of kitchen waste was put daily in the shed net basket.

Observation:-

• No smell.
• No leachate seen.
• The waste is completely composted.
• good larvae growth.
• After removing the compost from the shade net basket, the larvae become separate easily.

Conclusion:-

In 25 days we processed 105 kg of kitchen waste and got 6.35 kg of pre-puppa from two setups.

12/02/2023

Trial Started at Vigyan Ashram and Mukhabdhir school.

Conclusion:-

Composting mixer trial	Half IBC trial
-Starting larvae growth good. -No smell -No leachate seen -Puppa growth is good. -The waste is not completely composted. -No smell as long as kitchen waste was in the composting mixer. -7 to 8 kg of larvae died.	-Starting larvae growth slow -No smell. -No leachate seen. -The waste is not completely composted. -7 to 8 kg of larvae died.

In 20 days we processed 294 kg of kitchen waste and both sets failed because of anaerobic conditions are happened due to which larval are dead.

09/03/2023 to 28/03/2023

Shade net basket trial at Matimand Ashram shala , Pabal

4 to 5 kg of kitchen waste was put daily in the shed net basket.

Observation:-

• No smell.
• No leachate seen.
• The waste is completely composted.
• good larvae growth.
• After removing the compost from the shade net basket, the larvae become separate easily.

Conclusion:-

In 19 days we processed 95 kg of kitchen waste and got 2.4 kg of puppa from setup.

25/03/2023 to 12/04/2023

Concrete mixer trial

Concrete Mixer trial at Vigyan Ashram, Pabal.

-By adding 350 g of 5-day-old larvae to the mixer and adding a timer to automatically rotate the mixer every hour, the mixer will rotate 4 times for 10 seconds each hour. The moisture in the waste caused many small balls to form, so the sawdust was added to the mixer and rotated for 5 seconds every 2 hours.
-But 80% of the larvae died due to the formation of many small balls.

-3 to 4 kg of the kitchen, waste was put daily in the Concrete mixer

Conclusion

When we swirled the waste in the concrete mixer, the moisture in the waste created many small balls of waste and failed the test. This yielded 450 grams of puppa.

30/03/2023 to 28/04/2023

Shade net basket trial at Matimand Ashram shala , Pabal

4 to 5 kg of kitchen waste was put daily in the shed net basket.

25/04/2023

Excess waste from the school program was dumped into the system, killing the larvae.

Observation:-

• No smell.
• No leachate seen.
• The waste dumped on the last day was not fully composted.
• good larvae growth.

Conclusion:-

In 27 days we processed 135 kg of kitchen waste and got 2.1 kg of pre puppa from setup.

30/04/2025

As per discussion with Dixit sir decided to conduct trial to check consumption of chicken waste and fish waste by BSF larvae.

-I have conducted a fish waste trial at BSF, using shade net baskets with 400 g larvae. And put 1 kg of fish waste in it.

-Hanged on the tree to avoid the trouble of rats and dogs.

02/05/2023

A test was conducted using 400 g of BSF larvae using chicken waste. And put 1 kg of chicken waste in it. Hanged on the tree to avoid the trouble of rats and dogs

03/05/2023
In the chicken waste and fish waste trials, one kg of chicken waste was added each.

07/05/2023

I conducted a shade net basket trial using 768 g larvae at @Vigyan Ashram.

Date	Waste(Kg)
07/05/2023	10
08/05/2023	–
09/05/2023	8
10/05/2023	12
11/05/2023	15
12/05/2023	11
13/05/2023	12.5
14/05/2023	7.5
15/05/2023	5.5
Total	81.5

Result:-

-Waste is not completely composted.

– Good larvae growth.

Puppa production-2.980kg

11/05/2023

I conducted a shade net basket trial using 942 g larvae at @Vigyan Ashram.

Date	Waste(Kg)
11/05/2023	10
12/05/2023	–
13/05/2023	11
14/05/2023	13
15/05/2023	17
18/05/2023	–
19/05/2023	–
20/05/2023	7
21/05/2023	8
22/05/2023	12
23/05/2023	5
24/05/2023	5
25/05/2023	5
26/05/2023	5
Total	98

Result:-

-Waste is not completely composted.

– Good larvae growth.

Puppa production- 5.480kg

14/05/2023

I conducted a shade net basket trial using 688 g larvae at @Vigyan Ashram.

feeding 5 kg kitchan waste every day.

Result:-

-Waste is not completely composted.

– Good larvae growth.

Puppa production- 4.830kg

Darpan Society Rajgurunagar Data Sheet:-

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JH3WgnLywvXs5NnvhaU5s1nXPq6B_qJKA9y_VneH1WU/edit#gid=0