Black Soldier Fly Larvae Found Roaming this Man’s Home

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A number of worms have been crawling about this reader’s home, who suspects they are coming from under his washing machine. He wonders what exactly these gray, segmented worms are, and if they are dangerous.

Firstly, we would like to thank our reader for providing both a picture and video (see video below) of such excellent quality, as this aids us greatly in being able to identify the creature. In the video provided, we see the worms wriggling about the point-tipped end of its body, but not walking, which makes us think this larva does not have any legs. Secondly, we have identified this larva as a black solder fly larva.
worm from under washing machine VIDEO

Black soldier flies are a wasp-like fly, that when fully grown is a glossy black in color, with six legs and two antennae on its head. However, contrary to what one might assume, the black soldier fly is at its most ‘useless’ state when it is fully grown. Its sole purpose when fully matured is to mate, and other than that, it does not even eat. This is because a matured black soldier fly does not have a mouth or digestive system! On the other hand, as larvae (or maggots are they are commonly referred to), these little critters have been proven to be extremely beneficial. Because of their diet, which consists mostly of trash, manure, and other forms of waste, these maggots make the perfect candidate for producing proteins and oils, according to ScienceDirect. In fact, black solder fly larvae can be used as animal feed, fertilizer, oil, and can even be eaten by humans! Additionally, Black Soldier Fly Larva, or as they are also known, ‘BSFL’, are fantastic for composting! We cover this here, and in other articles on this site!

Furthermore, we would like to assure our reader that black solider flies are by nature not invasive, nor are they pests. It is likely that either a black soldier fly flew into his home and laid eggs, or that there is some kind of waste that the larvae are attracted to in his home. Perhaps there is some spilled food underneath the washing machine, or simply some form of residue that they want to eat. We recommend doing several things to combat this apparent infestation. First off, move any larva found outside gently. Our reader needs not be worried about catching any disease from these larvae, as they are immune to all known diseases. Additionally, although these flies may resemble wasps in their adult form, they do not sting or bite. Secondly, we encourage our reader to clean underneath his washing machine as best he can, and also make sure there is no other waste or decomposing matter laying about the home. Finally, we urge our reader to make sure all his window screens are intact, so as to ensure no flies come in that way.

In conclusion, the worms our reader has been finding are the larvae of black soldier flies. These larvae are incredibly beneficial to the environment, and have proven to be incredibly useful. They are also harmless, not pests, and typically do not invade homes. Checking for, and moving all the larvae found outside should suffice in ridding our reader’s home of these creatures.

 

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Black Soldier Fly Larvae Found Roaming this Man's Home
Article Name
Black Soldier Fly Larvae Found Roaming this Man's Home
Description
A number of worms have been crawling about this reader's home, who suspects they are coming from under his washing machine. He wonders what exactly these gray, segmented worms are, and if they are dangerous.
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Author: Worm Researcher Anton

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