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Insects as food -

For a long time now, insects have been used in agriculture as a food source. Portable and low cost, bugs are good candidates to be a bigger animal’s dinner.

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Insects as fertilizer -

As soil in various parts of the world continues to degrade, however, experts are now wondering whether insects could be used to help restore soil quality and encourage plant growth.

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Bug of interest -

There is one bug that is of particular interest: the black solider fly. Indeed, the larvae of this tiny bug are able to transform organic waste into a nutrient-rich fertilizer called frass.

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Government funding -

In May 2024, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded grants to three projects that are working on harnessing the capabilities of black soldier fly larvae (BSFL).

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Status quo -

Despite seeming to be a perfect fit, however, BSFL are still not being used at scale to tackle the problem of soil degradation.

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Key adaptations -

Let’s take a closer look at the characteristics of BSFL that make them so valuable to agriculture. First of all, they have enormous appetites.

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Huge appetites -

According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), BSFL are able to consume up to four times their body weight in organic waste per day.

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Very efficient -

They do this in just a fraction of the time it would take for traditional composting methods to break down the same amount of waste.

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The problem of organic waste -

With organic waste continuing to produce considerable amounts of carbon emissions, the question of how to process it is becoming more pressing.

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Reducing emissions -

Experts are therefore excited about using the digestive processes of BSFL to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

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Fertilizer production -

The second reason that the digestive systems of BSFL are so coveted is that they turn the organic waste into a nutrient-rich fertilizer, known as frass.

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Solution to a global problem - As previously mentioned, soil degradation is a global issue, and the poop of BSFL may just be able to provide a solution.

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In the US -

As it stands, frass is not used at scale as a fertilizer. Indeed, the use of BSFL poop in agriculture has not even been studied yet in the US.

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In Europe -

However, the topic has been studied in other parts of the world, most notably in various countries in Europe.

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Fostering soil biodiversity -

Studies have shown that the frass produced by BSFL is able to provide essential nutrients to plants and foster a more biodiverse soil.

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Synthetic fertilizers -

This stands in sharp contrast to synthetic fertilizers, which often destroy soil biodiversity, along with beneficial bacteria and the soil’s natural ecosystem.

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Increasingly needy soil -

As a result, the use of synthetic fertilizers often makes soil dependent on input from increasingly expensive treatments.

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Fossil fuel requirements -

Synthetic fertilizers are also fossil-fuel intensive, meaning that they increase the carbon footprint of the soil that they fertilize.

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Two birds, one stone -

By offering a solution to two key problems (the disposal of organic waste and the degradation of soil), using BSFL in agriculture seems to be a great way to kill two birds with one stone.

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Fast reproduction -

Adding to the list of advantages, there is the fact that black soldier flies seem to reproduce very quickly.

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Abundant resource -

If used at scale, therefore, farmers would not have to worry about resources eventually drying up.

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Easy to transport -

Given their tiny size, BSFL are also very easy to transport, which again helps keep down their cost as a resource.

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Current climate -

At present, this is particularly important, since fertilizer prices are through the roof, and supply is not always reliable.

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Current situation -

As previously mentioned, frass has not yet been accepted for use as a large-scale fertilizer.

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New concept -

This is partly because the concept is relatively new, and in order for producers to market frass as a fertilizer it first needs to be regulated.

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Emerging research -

In order for the product to be regulated, it first needs to be properly researched. In the case of frass, research is still in its infancy.

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Added complication -

Another problem that proponents of frass are facing is that insects are currently not accepted as additives by the US National Organic Program.

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Hard sell -

This means that it can be difficult to convince farmers who use organic methods that BSFL is safe to use.

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Work at Chapul Farms -

However, teams such as those at Oregon-based Chapul Farms, are currently working to change the status quo.

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Discussions with regulators -

Indeed, they are currently in conversations with regulators to help increase education around using BSFL for fertilizer and bring the practice into the mainstream.

Sources: (BBC) (UNDP)

See also: The surprising ways insects have been used in warfare throughout history

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