black soldier fly-Hermetia illucens

The black soldier fly, or Hermetia illucens is a common and widespread fly of the family Stratiomyidae, whose larvae are common detritivores in compost heaps. Larvae are also sometimes found in association with carrion, and have significant potential for use in forensic entomology.

Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) may be used in manure management, for house fly control and reduction in manure volume. Mature larvae and prepupae raised in manure management operations may also be used to supplement animal feeds.

Larvae are sold as feeders for owners of herptiles and tropical fish, or as composting grubs. They store high levels of calcium for future pupation which is beneficial to herptiles.

Benefits:
Larvae are beneficial in the following ways:
Prevent houseflies and blowflies from laying eggs in the material inhabited by black soldier fly larvae.
Usually not a pest.
Not attracted to human habitation or foods. As a detritivore and coprovore, the egg-bearing females are attracted to rotting food or manure.
Black soldier flies don't fly around as much as houseflies. They are very easy to catch and relocate when they get inside a house, as they do not avoid being picked up, they are sanitary, and they do not bite or sting. Hermetia illucens only defense seems to be hiding. When using a wet grub bin that will collect or kill all the pupae, the black soldier fly population is easy to reduce by killing the pupae/pre-pupae in the collection container, before they become flies. They may be killed by freezing, drying, manually feeding to domestic animals, putting the collection container in a chicken coop for automatic feeding, or feeding to wild birds with a mouse/pest-proof feeder.
Significant reductions of E. coli 0157:H7 and Salmonella enterica were measured in hen manure.
Quickly reclaim would-be pollutants: Nine stinky organic chemicals were greatly reduced or eliminated from manure in 24 hours.
Quickly reduce the volume and weight of would-be waste: The larvae colony breaks apart its food, churns it, and creates heat, increasing compost evaporation. Significant amounts are also converted to carbon dioxide respired by the grubs and symbiotic/mutualistic microorganisms.
Sustainability:If we want future generations to inherit a healthy planet then there is no alternative but to embrace sustainable technologies. Black soldier flies have the potential to transform the way we process organic wastes. These beneficial insects represent an elegant solution to a nasty problem.