Black soldier fly larvae

Live black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) for sale in counts of 250 to 1,000. These are the larvae of Hermetia illucens, and the one common feeder insect with more calcium than phosphorus. Keepers feed them to leopard geckos, bearded dragons, chameleons and frogs. They need no food and keep at room temperature.

BSFL calcium and nutrition

Black soldier fly larvae build calcium carbonate into their skin, so they test higher in calcium than other feeders. Mark Finke's analyses put them at 61.2% moisture, 17.5% protein and 14.0% fat as fed, with a calcium to phosphorus ratio of about 2.6:1. Crickets, mealworms, superworms and waxworms all came out below 1:1. In a 2013 analysis, BSFL fell short of reference nutrient levels on fewer nutrients than the other three insects tested.

A reptile can't use all of that calcium. In a 2020 Louisiana State University trial, leopard geckos digested 43% of the calcium in the larvae, and much of the shell passed through whole. Our guide to black soldier fly larvae for reptiles walks through the research.

Do BSFL need calcium dusting?

The research doesn't settle it. The authors of the gecko trial said they had too little data to recommend for or against dusting BSFL. Dust them on the same schedule as your other feeders until better data exist, and keep your reptile's UVB lighting in place. Feed BSFL in a rotation with a second staple such as dubia roaches, not as the only insect.

How to store black soldier fly larvae

Keep the larvae at room temperature in the cup they arrive in, away from heaters and sunny windows. You don't need to feed them. Near the end of the larval stage they turn dark and stop eating. Kept warm long enough, they pupate and become harmless flies with no stinger, so order what your animals will eat in a few weeks. Skip the fridge. In a 2025 storage study, chilled larvae kept losses under 15% only for periods shorter than six days.

Shipping and live arrival

Orders ship sometime between Sunday and Wednesday to the lower 48 states and DC. We may hold an order when heat or cold on the route puts live insects at risk. If any larvae arrive dead, email photos or video within 1 hour of delivery, and we resend a qualifying order once at no cost. Details are on our shipping page.

Subscribe and save on BSFL

Subscribe and save 15% on deliveries every 1, 2 or 3 months. Subscription deliveries of $35 or more ship free, and you can skip, pause or cancel from your account. Pet stores and breeders can apply for a wholesale account.