Our favorite bug is, like, so in right now.
Copy: As we’ve written about before, black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) are an absolute powerhouse of usefulness. Not only are they perfect reptile snacks—nutritious, sustainable, and enthusiastically slurped up by pets like bearded dragons and geckos—but they’re also garden heroes, breaking down waste and helping turn food scraps into compost gold. But the magic of black soldier flies doesn’t stop there. Around the world, these tiny, wiggly worm-dudes are stirring up industries you might never expect. From biofuels to cosmetics, the world has caught on to what we’ve *ahem* known for a while: black soldier flies are basically the MVPs of the insect world. Here are a few rad things other companies are doing with our favorite baby bug.
Biowaste Conversion and Commercial Composting
One of the black soldier fly’s best talents is devouring organic waste. While many home composters already know how quickly they can turn food scraps into nutrient-rich compost, big companies are now using them to process commercial-scale food waste.
Today, roughly 40-70% of organic waste is dumped into landfills, leading to the creation of methane, a toxic gas that significantly contributes to the rise in global CO2 emissions. BSFL are being used to combat this. Imagine truckloads of discarded fruits and vegetables being reduced to almost nothing in record time. BSFL can eat twice their body weight daily, turning biowaste into compost much faster than traditional methods. The remaining substance is a protein- and lipid-rich biomass that can be used as feed or fertilizer.
Companies around the world are setting up industrial bioconversion facilities, where armies of black soldier flies help cities manage their organic waste, leaving behind high-quality compost and reducing landfill pressure.
Biodiesel Fuel Manufacturing
Bugs + a little brains = biofuel. It’s science. Black soldier fly larvae are high in fat, which is perfect for biodiesel production. Their larvae can be harvested and processed into oils that are converted into clean-burning biodiesel fuel. This process is more sustainable than traditional fuel sources, making it a really cool, really clean option for reducing the world’s dependence on fossil fuels. With the growing demand for renewable energy solutions, black soldier flies might just help power the future. (We’re getting a little misty-eyed over here.)
Sustainable Commercial Feed
Move over, soy and fishmeal—black soldier fly larvae are taking over the animal feed world. In many places, commercial farmers are switching to BSFL-based feed for livestock like pigs, chickens, and even farmed fish. Raising them requires astronomically less water and land than other feed sources like soybeans. The use of fishmeal, a powder made from dried, pressed, and ground fish, is a substantial contributor to overfished ocean resources.
As we mentioned, BSFL are packed with protein, making them a fantastic alternative in animal feed and aquaculture, and their rapid lifecycle helps make them an environmentally friendly alternative.
Frass Fertilizer
What’s frass, you ask? It’s just a fancy-pants word for insect poop. But this is no ordinary #2—it’s #1 when it comes to fertilizer powerhouses. Black soldier fly frass is rich in nutrients that plants love, making it an excellent soil amendment. BSFL frass boosts soil health naturally, without synthetic chemicals, which prevents rapid nutrient leaching. It helps boost plant growth and improve plants’ immune systems. Whether you’re growing houseplants or vegetables, or entire crops, a little BSFL poo packs a big punch.
Cosmetics
You read that right. Black soldier flies are even finding their way into skincare products. It might sound weird to you, but oils extracted from BSFL are being used in moisturizers and other cosmetics because they’re rich in beneficial fats and nutrients, and have potential anti-aging and UVB protective benefits. The cosmetics industry is always on the lookout for sustainable ingredients, and black soldier flies fit the bill perfectly. Besides, they’re not the first to bug to make you look your best. Insects have been used in lipsticks and rouge for millennia.
Human Protein Consumption
There’s bugs on your face, but bugs in your face?? Black soldier flies are starting to show up on the menu. Insects as delicacies are nothing new, but now food innovators around the globe are experimenting with BSFL as a sustainable protein source for humans. High in protein and full of essential nutrients (see a trend here?), black soldier fly larvae could be the future of food. As the global population continues to rapidly grow, edible insects like BSFL can help combat food security.
Don’t worry—you probably won’t be eating whole bugs. Instead, BSFL are processed into protein powders and flours that can be added to baked goods, smoothies, protein bars, and more. It’s an eco-friendly way to get your protein without relying on resource-heavy meat or water-dependent soybeans.
Black soldier flies and their voracious babies are quietly taking over the world—and we’re totally here for it. They’re solving environmental problems, revolutionizing industries, and providing sustainable alternatives to everything from livestock feed to biofuel. Maybe they should be called green soldier flies…?
Sources:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-024-06516-8
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10548269/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8909685/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301479724019832