Fennell Bay, New South Wales, Australia
Tips & Tricks
A Sieve Saves Time
A Sieve Saves Time
A Sieve Saves Time
1. Using a plastic sieve, separate the larvae from the substrate by sifting the wheat bran back into your housing container.
A Sieve Saves Time
A Sieve Saves Time
2. Remove as much of the bran as possible.
A Sieve Saves Time
3. Now place the sieve onto a container and allow the larvae to work their way through the sieve and into the container.
4. Line a container with damp paper towel. Pour the larvae into a small pile on top of the paper towel.
5. The larvae will work their way off the wet paper towel, leaving traces of substrate behind.
5. Any leftover substrate can now be removed by hand.
Freeze Time!
Martine's suggestion: "I bought a cosmetic fridge from Kmart to hibernate the black soldier fly larvae, and it works really well. Just put them in zip lock bags and put them in the fridge. I wash them first, then take them out the night before you need them."
After discussing this with Martine, I put in a little research and found the cosmetic fridge runs at similar temps to a bar fridge. These temps provide an ideal environment to slow up larvae growth without them shutting down completely.
A Few Ideas
Going for the Gutload
Going for the Gutload
Going for the Gutload
1. Sift and remove as much substrate as you can from the larvae.
Going for the Gutload
Going for the Gutload
2. Place the larvae into a suitable container. Add a few slices of fruit or veg and let the larvae gorge at your dragon's benefit.
Feeding the larvae vegetables will stop the larvae from drying out and will result in rapid growth.
* TIP = prep everything in the afternoon so the larvae can feast overnight.
Sorting & Separating
Winter Warmth for Wriggles
Winter Warmth for Wriggles
The are many ways to get more from the product if you have spare time.
Container 1 displays freshly sifted larvae which is ready for feeding. When the larvae is dark brown you can transfer them into a seperate and well ventilated container where they can transform to fly.
Container 2 displays dark brown larvae that has been separated. When the larvae transforms to fly they can be released within the enclosure so your dragon can hunt.
Container 3 displays larvae which has been dried. Dried larvae can be pulverised into a powder using a mortar and pestle. I like to combine dried flowers such as Hibiscus, Dandelion, Geranium Nasturtium and even beardie friendly herbs.
The powder can be sprinkled on salads that have been misted with water. You can also mix the powder with water to make a fine paste. This is exceptionally helpful for sick and undernourished beardies.
Winter Warmth for Wriggles
Winter Warmth for Wriggles
Winter Warmth for Wriggles
A terracotta pot plant base is great for holding warmth during the cooler , you can get them from Bunnings. If your larvae are still they just require a little gentle heating to bring the wriggle back to the larvae.