SUPER FLY By Auston Reisman

— Created April 12, 2026 by Samantha Goodman

SUPER FLY

By Auston Reisman
Father, Farmer, Artist, Environmental Steward
Photo by: Tessa Jung

In nature, nothing is wasted. Closed-loop ecosystems benefit each other; excess from one organism becomes food for another. Through decomposition, microbes, fungi, and insects break down organic matter, recycling nutrients and transforming what we might call ‘waste matter’ into new life. This natural cycle ensures everything is repurposed and reused. Black soldier flies have been part of this natural cycle since the late 1800s and are now emerging as a sustainable solution for processing food scraps that would otherwise end up in the landfill. As landfill space becomes increasingly scarce, these sites present a two-fold crisis: mounting methane emissions and dwindling disposal capacity. The soldier fly’s ability to rapidly process waste while providing valuable byproducts makes them an eco-friendly alternative to traditional waste-disposal methods.

Recently attending an Arizona worm conference, I enjoyed a workshop spotlighting Black Soldier Flies (BSF). Between the laughs, I gained a thorough education in BSF production, imbuing me with the magic of these little buzzing creatures. Teaching this class were the brilliant entomologist Tessa and the multitalented wizard Paulo. Paulo, an enthusiastic DIY, learn-as-you-go solution-finder, has been leading the BSF program at the Arizona Worm Farm since its inception. Tessa originally connected with the farm while writing her thesis and stayed around. They are the yin and yang of BSF production, expanding my own awareness through their complementary knowledge, experience, and skills.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Tessa, who has been interested in insects since childhood. She described her young self as “curious and serious”. She was conducting video interviews about insects by age 10. This inspiration guided her path through many gateways, including forensic entomology and the analysis of insect colonization patterns to solve crimes. It is typically the white-glove agents who get credit for solving a murder case, but she was the one behind the scenes. Her excitement and joy steered her passion into a career. Tessa is a firm believer that with proper instruction and enthusiasm, anybody can raise BSF successfully and create positive impacts for our environment. Her primary focus now is on helping stimulate small community-scale operations. These collaborations allow everyone to get their hands involved, appreciate these insects, and see what they can accomplish. Implementing this type of progressive thinking, we can partner with tiny creatures to make big changes.

What minuscule marvels they are! The entire 40-day life cycle of this teeny creature, a soldier fly, is devoted to selfless service, focused on helping their community. Larvae have voracious appetites, consuming roughly twice their body mass daily. They can reduce waste volume by 50% to 95%, eating everything but the kitchen sink, creating a solution for those hard-to-compost items like meats, dairy, and fats. On the flip side of the cycle, these larvae. loaded with protein and fat, becomes a valuable feed source for livestock, poultry, and aquaculture. Replacing resource-intensive feed ingredients like fishmeal or soy may help reduce deforestation, overfishing, and water consumption. Adult flies are unique because they lack functional mouthparts and do not eat, thereby minimizing the spread of pathogens to humans. Further, the byproduct of their digestion, known as frass, is a nutrient-rich organic fertilizer that enhances soil health, improves soil structure, and supports beneficial microbes. These ‘super flies’ offer a sustainable and efficient waste management solution with multiple environmental benefits. From reducing landfill waste and greenhouse gas emissions, to producing animal feed and organic fertilizer, all while contributing to a circular and sustainable food system, these are indeed marvelous, if tiny, creatures!