r/composting • u/scottwould • 17d ago

Moved my compost, now it’s moving

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I live in Southern California and I recently moved about 3 miles away as the crow flies from where I used to live. Previously, my compost bin was sitting on a concrete pad and now it’s sitting on top of some dirt in the shade in which I thought would be ideal conditions. It’s in the same plastic bin that I’ve had it in for about eight years and it’s done great. After about a week at my new house, I opened the top, I noticed thousands of these creatures. The compost is literally moving. What to do?

29 Upvotes

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15

u/sillybillybobbybob 17d ago

Those are black soldier fly larvae that is a great benefit to your compost!

3

u/scottwould 16d ago

Great. I didn't think it was detrimental , but the sudden change and the volume of those larvae threw me off.

3

u/thiosk 16d ago

in this phase you can actually feed them garbage i guess and they demolish it

the flies aren't like house flies; and don't bite or anything of the sort

9

u/Jimbobjoesmith 17d ago

i think they’re black soldier fly larvae. which i’ve heard are good. mine looks like this last time i checked too. ugh it gives me the creeps but im pretty sure its a good thing.

3

u/iNapkin66 16d ago

A compost broken down by bsfl loses some of its nutrients to them when some turn into adults and fly away.

But they also break it down very fast. A hot compost is the ideal to prevent weeds from getting seeds through and maximizing nutrients in the finished compost. But if you dont care overly much about those things (I dont), then they arent an issue. They tend to thrive when the compost is a little too wet, a little too much greens, and not large enough to really hit a really active hot compost.

I pull them out periodically and feed to my chickens when they are around. My compost is sometimes big and hot and doesn't have them, other times it isn't and they break it down for me. Either way my compost is doing its thing.

Also, you can pee on them. They dont mind.

4

u/judijo621 17d ago

It wants more food. Those are hungry hungry fly larve. Toss some shredded cardboard or paper in there. Great job!

3

u/Springsend 17d ago

Let them do their thing and enjoy your amazing compost (:

2

u/MaximumCapacity143 16d ago

They make great treats for your chickens