The residential BioPod™ is a
self-contained unit that houses the living colony of
BioGrubs™, which are the primary decomposer that inhabits
the pod. It is related in size and scale to a home compost
bin or vermiculture system, and like worm bins, must be
placed in full
shade. It is
critical that the sun is not able to heat the pile to
temperatures that exceed the functioning range of this
species (approx. 60-100˚F). Excessively high temps may
cause premature crawl-off, while low temps could result in
dormancy.
Made from durable
polyethylene and powder-coated steel, the
BioPod™ can be exposed to the elements year-round and will
not fade, crack, or peel with age. The unit comes with
everything you need to start your active pile, except for
the BioGrubs™ and food scraps. Assembly takes approx. 30-45
minutes, and an empty unit and base stand can be easily
moved by one person to its final location.
Start up is a simple process
that can be approached in one of two ways. The first method
is to begin a colony naturally,
using a 2-3 day supply of mixed kitchen scraps and the
native population of black soldier flies (BSF) in your
locale, which serve as the progenitors. Gravid females can
detect and are attracted to very low levels of food scrap
odors - they lay their eggs in close proximity to the food,
and babies hatch out in about 100 hours. Juvenile grubs
grow quickly and are quite visible within a few days time.
The average time it takes to start a colony by this
approach is roughly 2 weeks, depending on the native
concentration of BSF in your region. A functionally mature
colony that begins to show signs of grub crawl off and
intense digestion of food scraps, takes about 30 days to
establish.
If using the natural method,
please wait until weather conditions in the spring are
favorable enough to support a wild population of BSF.
Moreover, the first two weeks of start up may attract
additional species of arthropods such as fruit flies
- this
is natural and will dissipate once the colony is fully
functioning. Active BSF systems actually
give off a non-offensive trademark odor which helps the
user to not only identify the correct species, but helps at
inhibiting the presence of nuisance pests, like the common
house fly or raccoons.
The second method is
recommended for those regions that may not have a
significant wild population of BSF. Like with vermiculture
and redworms, A BSF starter
colony can
be purchased online, and is made up of various ages of
grubs. Colonies are normally available as either 1 or 2
pound batches, and ship directly from the growers via USPS
Priority Air. Unlike redworms which require beneficial
microbes to break down their food before it can be
consumed, BioGrubs™ begin devouring foods almost
immediately, assuming scraps are available. So once the
grubs are received, they can be added to your system
immediately.
Before your BSF colony becomes
established, mitigation of other fly species can be
accomplished by a technique referred to as the 'lasagna
method'. With the initial BioPod™ startup, it is
recommended that a 1/2 to 1" topper of moistened, shredded
office paper (no gloss or newsprint) or cardboard be added
along with the kitchen offerings, so that fruit and house
flies have a more difficult time laying eggs. Unlike those
flies which lay eggs directly
on food, BSF tend
to lay eggs off to the side, so the paper helps encourage
BSF egg laying, while simultaneously inhibiting the
breeding of other species of flies.
THE BIOPOD™
AS A PET WASTE DIGESTER
Many folks wish
to use there pod as a means of managing and recycling pet
stools. If you are going to be processing feces from
animals, please keep in mind a few important points. It is
not uncommon for animal droppings to be contaminated with
pathogens, some of which may be harmful to humans. So,
please take adequate precautions when handling fresh stools
or the contents of your colony. Utilize heavy duty latex
gloves or reusable rubber gloves which can be washed
repeatedly to avoid the creation of additional waste. Do
not use the tea or compost directly in your vegetable
garden; instead apply the finished products to your flowers
or other ornamentals. We have not heard, read about, or
encountered mature grubs infected with harmful pathogens.
But as a safety measure, you should forgo feeding manure
based grubs to any animal intended for human consumption,
especially if the animal is the one that produced the
feces. If the quantity of pet poop is insufficient to
satisfy the voracious appetite of your pod, food scraps may
be added to offset any nutrient shortfalls. With regard to
litter, only use those that are biodegradable. Stay clear
of heavily processed, synthetic or clay based brands as
these may be harmful to your colony.
DOWNLOADABLE
MANUAL / USER'S GUIDE
| BIOPOD™ USER'S GUIDE |  |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
This section is by no mean exhaustive. If you have a question not addressed here, please drop our customer service department a quick email. Allow a reasonable amount of time (1-3 days) for our team of experts to analyze your situation.
Are these creatures dangerous in any way?
BSF adults have no mouth parts – therefore they do not feed or bite in any way. They fly slower than other insects, and resemble dark-colored wasps but do not have stingers. Basically, they are nothing more than a breeder with a very short lifespan. As the mature BioGrubs™ self-harvest out of the active chamber, they auto-cleanse by emptying their digestive track before entry into the collection bucket.
Do these colonies spread germs that can harm my family?
The flying adults have a very
short lifespan; they do not even possess functioning mouth
parts necessary to feed. Consequently, they do
not harbor germs that may cause and spread disease in
humans. They are not like flies or yellow jackets -
they will not cause a nuisance at your next picnic.
Because they are so efficient at composting wastes, having
an active colonies of juveniles actually inhibits the
growth of insects that do carry germs, like the common
housefly. However, as with all garden tools that are
outside in the yard, dirt and bacteria collects naturally,
so wash your hands with soap and water after handling your
pod or any BioGrubs™.
Is
my system going to stink up a
storm?
Established colonies that are
actively processing food wastes will not produce noxious
odors, so long as they remain aerobic, and the liquid tea
is allowed to drain away. Units that are given too
many scraps could overwhelm the colony - do not
overfeed. This is doubly true with newly setup
systems. Do not add an abundance of liquid wastes
like soups or sauces; this may result in pockets of oxygen
deficiency, which can lead to stinky smells. Drain
off all liquids in your kitchen waste before adding them to
the system. If your pod gets too 'soupy' add in some
dry shredded paper or cardboard to sop up the excess
moisture. This will be digested along with the
kitchen waste. Dried soap-free sponges will also
successfully absorb any pooling tea, and not add permanent
bulk to your system. Just remember to wear gloves
when removing the saturated sponges. As a
preventative measure, check the filter and drain for
clogging once or twice per month. Please understand
that a functioning pod will emit a unique, trademark odor
indicative of BSF (harmless to humans and pets) - this
scent smells a little like ripe fruit compost and is
created naturally by the juveniles. This odor also
helps to deter unwanted arthropods like house and fruit
flies from taking up residence in your
pod.
I
can’t find any BSF in my new setup, only flies – what am I
doing wrong?
Most new start-ups that allow BSF to find the pod naturally
will invariably attract house flies faster than BSF – they
are much more common, and normally more closely associated
with humanity. Except on certain farms, BSF adults tend to
be less common in nature, so it might take time for them to
detect the scent of food scraps and lay eggs in your
system. Additionally, the hatching time and life cycle for
BSF is a little longer than house and fruit flies, so they
can take time to establish and populate your unit. If you
see babies after only a few days, chances are they are
house or fruit flies, and not BSF. They may be left there,
as the BSF babies will soon dominate the pod.
Most localities in the US will have native BSF adults
present; however coverage is only assumed, not guaranteed.
Should you not wish to wait for your colony to develop
naturally (2-3 weeks), we have growers that will ship you
BSF year round.
Common house flies tend to lay
their eggs directly on food wastes, unlike BSF which lay
them some distance away (such as on the underside of the
protective cap). A great way to mitigate the presence
of regular house and fruit flies and their babies is to
take a piece of dampened cardboard and cover the pile of
food waste - this will prevent many of the unwanted flies
from accessing the scrap and reproducing via eggs laying-
just make certain the cardboard layer is not air tight, or
you can cause the system to go anaerobic. You may
also use a ½" to 1" topper of shredded moistened, long-cut
office paper - this will accomplish the same goal as the
cardboard, but without the need for a peripheral gap.
Since paper and cardboard is not normally eaten by BSF
grubs, use in moderation.
Will
my BioPod™ attract unwanted guests?
The scent of food has the potential for attracting a
multitude of hungry creatures; always keep the lid on
(especially at night) and do not place in areas where the
unit is susceptible to access or damage by pets, wildlife
or curious children. Raccoons are notorious for raiding
compost bins – consider fastening the lid with some bungee
cords, as these seem to confuse them.
Why
does it appear that some foods are being
ignored?
Some foods will not be
completely broken down by the active juveniles but will be
decomposed in the lower compost levels by beneficial
bacteria and fungi. Animal bones, like those from
pigs or cows, are too hard to be digested by either the BSF
juveniles or the biologically rich compost; it is best to
refrain from placing these inside the units, unless you
don't mind having them mixed in with your casting
residue.
Avoid adding
the following foods: thick chitin exoskeletons (ex.
lobster), bivalve shells (ex. clams), mammalian bones (ex.
T-bones), and coconut husks.
Can I use my system indoors?
These units are not currently designed for indoor use. BSF
adults do not have access to the inside of buildings, and
it will be difficult to maintain a prolonged colony without
fresh eggs or babies. Near the end of the fall when the
weather start to get cold, you can move un-insulated units
into a sheltered area like a garage, greenhouse or shed for
extended harvesting.
Why can’t I use my BioPod™ year
round?
You can do this in the southern
states and along the western coast, as long as the
temperature inside the unit remains well above
freezing. To do this, provide an insulation cover
directly on top of the inside contents of the active pile,
making certain to leave a loose gap around the perimeter,
so that the system receives enough oxygen, and does not
retain (or lose) too much heat. Additionally, a wool
blanket could be used to cover the entire unit on
exceptionally cold nights. The warmth to maintain a
hospitable climate inside is generated internally by the
active juveniles - do not stop feeding them or the
temperature could plummet and the whole colony may collapse
and go dormant. The major issue with winter
operation: providing the system with a consistent
supply of ample food. Keep in mind that little to no
crawl-off will occur during the colder
periods.
I
don’t have any shade, what can I
do?
Full shade is required for the system to operate correctly.
Units placed in direct sunlight will heat up too much,
resulting in early crawl-off of premature adults (lighter
in color) and may even cause the entire colony to collapse.
Even in full-shade conditions, temperatures over 100°F
degrees will cause premature crawl-off. The best solution
is to purchase an inexpensive shade canopy or trellis which
protects the entire colony from the heat of the sun. During
extended heat waves, do whatever is possible to keep the
temperature below triple digits (ice in sealed bags, etc.).
I am going on vacation, will my pod be
ok?
As long as your pod is free
from predation, curious children, and extreme weather, you
system should operate smoothly while you are away. In
nature, there is rarely a steady stream of food for any
species, so the intermittency of scraps will not be an
issue. As long as you have been feeding your colony on a
regular basis, the grubs can survive for several weeks
without being fed (provided it is not too cold). To
allay your concerns, feel free to add in some additional
scraps the day before your departure, or if you have a
friend checking in on your place, have them throw in some
scraps for good measure. If it is exceedingly cold
outside, we do not recommend withholding food for more than
a day or two - the continual digestion is what keeps the
inside hospitable - if you stop feeding them the
temperature in the pod could plummet.
Ants
are hauling off my BSF eggs and babies, how do I control
them?
Ants are notorious invaders of compost and worm bins. In a
BioPod™, ants don’t seem to bother the older pupae in an
active pile - only the food scraps, eggs, collection bucket
grubs, and newly hatched BSF babies. Nonetheless, there are
several means of control that will not involve poison
sprays or toxic pellets. The first is a barrier paste
called Tac-Gel
that the ants
simply will not cross. We have found it to be an effective
means at preventing ants from entering the units. Make
certain that the application completely circles the legs of
the base stand. It is recommended that the user wear latex
gloves while handling Tac-Gel. Please realize that if you
have any shrubbery touching the unit, ants will use that as
a bridge and invade the pod. So keep debris free and clear
of the pod at all times. A second, more natural means of
control would be a circle of diatomaceous
earth (DE)
on the ground surrounding the legs of the system. This
powder is the skeletal remains of microscopic
phytoplankton, and is composed primarily of silica. The DE
causes openings at the seams of the ant’s chitin
exoskeletons, resulting in desiccation. Repeat applications
are necessary to maintain effectiveness. The third means of
control would be some form of a moat-like
water barrier, that could take the form of a
shallow receptacle of water in which each leg of the stand
is placed. Keep in mind that mosquitoes may become an issue
in any stagnant or pooling water bodies.
I
am getting immature larvae in my collection bucket. What do
I do?
When the BioPod™ system heats up to much, larvae that are
not yet ready to pupate will vacate the unit, in an effort
to find a cooler location. On very hot days, you might see
an accumulation of cream colored grubs in your bucket,
instead of the normal charcoal grey-black ones. As soon as
the temperature drops, simply dump the entire contents of
the bucket back into the pod. If it is not too much
trouble, feel free to separate out the black pupae, but it
is perfect fine to add them all back into the pile – they
will crawl out again.
Grubs
are crawling all over the interior of the collection
bucket, what do I do?
If they are crawling up the sides, chances are there is too
much moisture inside the collection bucket. Add a handful
of dried peat or coir and that will absorb the excess
condensation so that the pupae will be too dry to climb the
sides. This bedding will also settle them down
considerably, and provide perceived refuge.
Can
the BioPod™ be used for pet waste
disposal?
BioGrubs™ love feces and will devour them almost as fast as
food scraps. However, the residential BioPod™ was designed
to digest kitchen leftovers, not pet waste, nor a
combination of the two. The main reason we do not recommend
adding pet waste into a functioning system is the pathogen
issue. The germs that are associated with feces are a
mixture of good and bad bacteria & viruses – we do not
want our users to introduce those into a biological system
that produces a finished product that may be used in a
vegetable garden (the compost or tea) or fed to
domesticated animals (the grubs). This is doubly important
for animals whose body or eggs may be used for human
consumption. Though cross-contamination and transmission
between species is unlikely, it is best to recycle all pet
poop is a system designed exclusively for that purpose.
I
don’t have a yard, can I still used the
BioPod™?
Yes. As long as you have a
shaded area of your property, you can still use a BioPod™
without the need for an actual yard. The residential pod
has already been tested in multi-story buildings in US
cities, and will work with a little extra monitoring and
care. It will still be necessary to situate the unit in an
area that is completely or partially outdoors, such as a
patio, porch, balcony or lanai. Indoor locations are
not feasible, unless the flying adults have full access
through a window or door, since the wild population of
females still need to find the unit and lay eggs.
Like with
yard-based systems, you must insure that the unit is placed
in full shade so that the inside is not allowed to heat up
above tolerable limits (around 100º F). Radiant heat
from concrete and building materials may indirectly
increase the temperature of your balcony - be vigilant
about extreme fluctuations in temperature. Keep
in mind that the liquid effluent (the compost tea) is
continually produced as a byproduct of digested food scraps
and must be collected by the integrated drainage
system. This tea is a powerful attractant for the
females, and we don't want it pooling anywhere
inappropriate because that might confuse the gravid females
on where to lay eggs.
I don't see any grub in my unit, how do I attract
females to my pod?
Along with fresh food scraps,
the liquid effluent or tea from an existing pod may be used
attract gravid females to your system. Simply 'paint'
the liquid on the underside of the protective cap and lid,
and nature will do the rest.
I
don’t have use for so many BioGrubs™ – what the heck do I
do with them?
Many people set up the pod for
the specific purpose of end product usage. Some feed the
grubs to their chickens, bullfrogs, koi ponds, or pet
iguanas. Individuals can save an average of $40 bucks a
month by not having to buy live food at the pet store.
Anglers use them as free bait instead of purchasing
expensive earthworms. A growing number of users are
becoming familiar with the benefits the grubs bring to the
migratory song bird habitats that are springing up in
people’s backyards. Along with supplying birdbaths and
breeding shelters, it is recommended that carnivorous and
omnivorous birds are fed a balanced diet including
calcium-rich BioGrubs™. Any feeder unit intended for
mealworms will suffice as a suitable dispenser of grubs.
Your birds will thank you in song! As a last resort, you can
always give them away as gifts (we are not kidding) or
simply allow the grubs to hatch into adults, thus
repopulating the native stock in your area. If you
are interested is helping to re-establish the local
population of BSF, take the bedding and grubs out of the
collection bucket and place in a shallow bin. Protect the
bin from rain, sun, and predation. In a few weeks,
you will have newly emerged adults ready and willing to
process wastes in your area.
I
am a really busy person. How much time do pods
require?
Well, the initial setup up is
really the most time-intensive part of the whole
process. To get this unit up in running, you will
need to put aside at around 1.5 to 2 daylight hours,
preferably when distractions can be minimized so that you
can focus. Surprisingly, once the pod is setup, there is
not much additional work, other that feeding, harvesting,
liquid collection and cleaning of the filter. Since
the tea and filter media are replete with beneficial
bacteria, always wear latex gloves when handling. Since the
grubs will auto-separate using the patented migration
ramps, there is no additional time or effort spent on
collecting the grubs from the active pile. If you
live is an area that doesn't allow year-round operations,
you will have to spend some time (approx. 1-2 hours)
cleaning and dismantling the unit, so that it can be put
away into storage during the coldest
months.
How
do I keep my unit from overheating?
Depending on your climate zone,
you make experience summer temperatures that exceed the
tolerable limits of a functioning BioPod. In order to
prevent premature crawl of immature larvae, you must
decrease the internal temperature of the pod.
Freezing food scraps before adding them will help bring the
thermal levels down, as will the addition of frozen,
reusable ice packs. We do not
recommend using
liquid gel packs as these could fail, and depending on
contents, may poison the inhabitants of your colony.
Find ice
packs that have a tough, thick shell and resist
abrasion. Use several, and switch them
out after they have thawed. Raw ice can introduce too
much moisture to a system, so we don't suggest adding it to
your colony directly. Use raw ice only if you
can keep it in a separate container that will not leak,
puncture or spill. As long as there is no chance of
rain, temporary removal of the lid will also help to lower
the internal temperature.
RECOMMENDED
LINKS
ESR International
eConservation.com
Interesting Websites
Maggot Art - developed by Rebecca
O'Flaherty at UC Davis
Urban Aquaponics - Integrated
Backyard Food Production
Forums & Blogs
Black Solider Fly Blog
Gardenweb: All About Black Soldier
Fly
Pond Boss: Black Soldier Fly Project
Videos & Picture Galleries
Using BSF Larvae to Create Art
Dance of the Black Soldier Fly Larvae
5 Day Harvest: Sept 9-14
LarvaLover's Video Collection