[USCC] Manure

[yarrow@sfo.com]

See http://ipm.ncsu.edu/AG369/notes/black_soldier_fly.html
for more info on this desirable composter. I learned about them when 
I saw the larvae escaping from my home compost bin one rainy October, 
and learned that they leave the bin to pupate. Someone on the 
gardenweb list who had worked with a manure-composting BSF larvae 
system said that

-- BSF and worms are often used together in coordinated manure 
management systems
-- BSF larvae process the raw manure, then earthworms convert the 
larvae manure into stable worm castings
-- BSF larvae can happily coexist with worms in a composting environment,
-- BSF larvae create more moisture, which can lead to a drop in O2 
(which, in turn, can temporarily decrease the worm population)
-- BSF adults are repelled by anaerobic conditions, so do not lay eggs there
-- BSF larvae can survive anaerobic conditions, but have lower 
activity than in aerobic conditions
-- BSF larvae decrease the presence of human pathogens in infected 
environments, so pose no threat to human health
-- a composting system that has significant numbers of BSF larvae 
will support no other fly species

I've seen a report by Warburton et al., "Performance comparison of 
earthworms and soldier fly larvae in the processing of sewage sludge."



Hal Kreher wrote:
>What kind of larvae are you talking about?  At our farm we are 
>composting our manure because the heat kills any fly larvae, pupae, 
>or eggs.  Fresh layer (poultry) manure is too strong for worms.  If 
>you used some kind of insect to "pretreat" you would have to a way 
>of seperating them back out from the product that needs to go on to 
>the next step.
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: CAVM at aol.com
>Lowell, the residue after the larvae finish their work is excellent in 
>vermiculture. Some of the worm farmers we know actually use the larvae to 
>pre-process their organic matter being fed to the worms for castings 
>production.
>They do this with no intention of harvesting the larvae for  their value.
>