One of the things I love and admire about BSFL is the diversity of food they can eat. unlike worms, BSFL do not require a carbon based bedding material. They aren’t adept at eating stuff like peat moss, cardboard, paper etc. that we might use as worm bedding. Soldier fly larvae can eat any kind of fruit and veggie waste that a worms can. Besides the usual wastes BSFL can and will eat: meats, dairy, onions and garlic, citrus, vegetable oils (with other food) and even the freshest manure. All the stuff we’re told to leave out of vermicomposting. Things like grass clippings and garden waste can go into the BSFL bin but are less likely to be as quickly devoured.
 A mix of 50/50 meat and veggies has been shown to provide the greatest growth rates for BSFL if you’re growing for large larvae. If growing for feed a choice without meat is perhaps a safer alternative regarding pathogens. One place to get “clean” waste is to try to get spent grains from a brewery or distillery or fruit and veggie leftovers from juicing.
I’ve spent a great deal of time and money learning how farm bsfl. I hope i can get a customer to grow for exclusive. I won’t waste my time selling online to pet industry. I’m licensed and inspected by usda and nobody in the big industry seems to know about bsfl. Really? What’s up…
Kind regards
Darell
Unfortunately it’s still an industry in its infancy, it may cost a lot more money to get the word out. Stick with it