Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

The Black Soldier Fly looks wasp-like, but it has no stinger and does not bite. Its feed on decaying organic material in compost, manure, and other waste-rich places.

Appearance

Appearance: Adults are about 0.6–0.8 in (15–20 mm) long, slender, and black to blue-black. Two translucent windows near the front of the abdomen and pale tips on the legs strengthen the wasp-like look.

Look-alikes

yellow-legged hornetVespa velutina

A Black Soldier Fly has one pair of wings and two clear windows on its abdomen. A yellow-legged hornet has two pairs of wings, a pinched waist, and yellow legs.

Why they get mixed upIn Georgia and nearby states where the hornet has been detected, both can look dark and wasp-like.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: compost piles
livestock facilities
dumpsters and waste sites
Range: It is common through much of the continental United States and occurs across the Western Hemisphere.
Preferred conditions: Breeding sites contain moist, decaying material where larvae can feed. In cities, compost and dumpsters can replace natural sites such as dead animals.

Behavior

Diet: Larvae consume decaying plant matter, food scraps, manure, and dead animals.
Activity: Adults lack a stinger and rely heavily on energy stored during the larval stage.

Life cycle

Reproduction: A female places a cluster of about 500 eggs in cracks near decaying material. The eggs hatch in about four days under warm conditions.
Larva: Larvae pass through six growth stages and can reach about 1 in (27 mm). Mature larvae leave the wet feeding site for a dry, sheltered place to .

Conservation

IUCN Red List: NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed

Culture and stories

Culture and stories: Black Soldier Fly larvae are raised to process organic waste and to produce ingredients for animal feed.

8 sources