Tag: black soldier fly larvae
Phoenix Worms that Smell Bad: Are the Safe to Feed your Animals?
Recently we received a question about Phoenix Worms, the trademarked name for black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) that are used for animal feed, that would be indecipherable to an average person. However, having answered hundreds of questions about larvae and worms over the past few years, we have amassed enough knowledge to intuitively grasp most questions, however lacking in relevant details they may be. In this instance, a reader wrote to us to say that she has some Phoenix Worms that smell like bleach, and she is wondering if they are “ok to use.” We were also informed that she had “taken the dead out.” If this seems like a series of incomplete, disjointed thoughts, it’s because it is, but we actually know exactly what the reader is talking about. She recently acquired Phoenix Worms to feed to her pets, but they smell strange, so she is wondering if they are safe to feed her pets, and all she has done so far is remove the dead worms from the container they were shipped in. So, the question before us is this: are phoenix worms that smell bad safe to feed to your animals?
Small Black Worms in the RV
A reader from Texas recently wrote to us about some small black worms he is finding in his recreational vehicle (“RV”), and sent us a picture of one that is on his floor. On some days, he finds as many as six or seven of the black worms (which can also be “charcoal grey” worms) in his RV, but he has also gone up to a week without finding any worms. After struggling to discern where the worms are coming from, he finally concluded that they are entering the RV through the heat vents. The reader lives in his RV, and so was naturally wondering what he is finding, and he also wanted to know how to get rid of the black worms that have taken up residence in his RV.
Short, Fat Brown Worms
A reader recently sent us a photo of a short, fat brown worm via the All About Worms Facebook page. He asked one simple question: “what kind of worm is this?” Given some of the complex and convoluted questions we receive, we welcomed this beautifully straightforward message. We are tasked with one question – what is the short, fat brown worm that our reader found? – and were sent an excellent photo of the worm under consideration, making our job as easy as it could be.
Phoenix Worms in the Toilet
We recently received a seemingly straightforward question from a reader: “How did a Phoenix Worm end up in my toilet?” This question about Phoenix Worms, although refreshing in its brevity, is actually a little bit tricky to answer, as it gives rise to other questions: what is a Phoenix Worm exactly (hint: it’s not a worm), and could this creature possibly end up in a toilet? If not, then what is our reader finding in his toilet? Then again, if our reader did find a Phoenix Worm in his toilet, we only have one question to answer: how did it end up there?
Are Black Soldier Fly Larvae Harmful?
We received a blunt series of questions (accompanied by a blurry photograph) about what appears to be a black soldier fly larva. The reader asked – in all capital letters – what the creature was and what “caused” it. The reader was also wondering if the creature is harmful and how she can get rid of it. Again, the picture that came along with the question, which is the only information we were given about the creature, is about as unclear as the philosophy, such as it is, of Adorno. However, it nevertheless appears to depict a black soldier fly larva, and since we have no additional information (like the location and size of the creature) to gauge this hypothesis, we’ll operate on the assumption that reader did in fact find black soldier fly larvae. The rather frantic tone of our reader’s email, implied by its capital letters and staccato style of questioning, led us to assume our reader is worried above all else that black soldier fly larvae are harmful, so we will address this concern first, and then address her other questions thereafter.
Small Black Worms – Black Soldier Fly Larvae
We receive questions about a staggering variety of worms and other worm-like creatures, making our job as worm identifiers difficult (but also interesting). However, a lot of readers inquire about the same kinds of worms (or larvae), like black soldier fly larvae, which seems to come up all the time, most recently from a reader who found them on his porch. We receive questions about these “worms,” as reader’s often refer them (even though they aren’t actually worms), because black soldier flies (and especially their larval form) are common. We have to admit we sometimes like writing about what’s familiar. We are getting ahead of ourselves, however, because we aren’t entirely certain our reader found black soldier fly larvae. So, let us first tell you what our reader found and show you the best picture he submitted, and then we’ll explain why we think he found black soldier fly larvae.
Black Soldier Fly Larvae
A few weeks back, we received a question from a reader about some small brown worms (or rather, worm-like creatures) he found in rotten organic matter. We’re not sure how he determined this, but the organic matter was 60 degrees Celsius (or 140 degrees Fahrenheit), and this surprised the reader. He contained the creatures and has since been using them to feed his chickens, who seem to enjoy them (the reader supposes they are like M&Ms to the chickens because the creatures he found are crunchy). Based on everything the reader said and the pictures he sent us, we are almost certain he found black soldier fly larvae (i.e., the larval form of black soldier flies), which are also known as “Phoenix Worms.” Phoenix Worms are often used for composting; in fact, they are so commonly used that they have their own acronym, BSFL (short for “black solider fly larva,” of course). These larvae actually thrive in hot compost bins and other organic matter, so it’s not surprising that our reader found them in this environment (although 60 degrees Celsius is really hot even for BSFL).
