"Hermetia illucens, the black soldier fly, is a common and widespread fly of the family Stratiomyidae, whose larvae are common detritivores in compost heaps. Larvae are also sometimes found in association with carrion, and have significant potential for use in forensic entomology.
Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL), also known as "phoenix worms", may be used in manure management, for house fly control and for the bioconversion of organic waste material. Mature larvae and prepupae raised in manure management and waste bioconversion operations may also be used to supplement animal feeds.
Larvae are sold as feeders for owners of herptiles [(reptiles and amphibians)] and tropical fish, or as composting grubs. They store high levels of calcium for future pupation which is beneficial to herptiles.
Black soldier fly eggs take approximately four days to hatch and are typically deposited in crevices or on surfaces above or adjacent to decaying matter such as manure or compost. The larvae range in size from 1⁄8–3⁄4 inch (3–19 mm). ...
The adult fly, which measures about 16 mm (5/8 inch), has a life span of 5 to 8 days. It is a mimic, very close in size, color, and appearance to the organ pipe mud dauber wasp and its relatives. The mimicry of this particular kind of wasp is especially enhanced in that the fly's antennae are elongated and wasp-like, the fly's hind tarsi are pale, as are the wasp's, and the fly has two small transparent "windows" in the basal abdominal segments that make the fly appear to have a narrow "wasp waist". The adult soldier fly has no functioning mouthparts; it spends its time searching for mates and reproducing.
[The larvae] prevent houseflies and blowflies from laying eggs in the material inhabited by black soldier fly larvae, [and the adults] are usually not a pest. They are not attracted to human habitation or foods. As a detritivore and coprovore, the egg-bearing females are attracted to rotting food or manure.
Black soldier flies do not fly around as much as houseflies. They are very easy to catch and relocate when they get inside a house, as they do not avoid being picked up, they are sanitary, and they do not bite or sting. Their only defense seems to be hiding."
~Wikipedia.org
