Are Fly Larvae a Good Source of Protein?

Fly larvae are a cheap and abundant source of protein, with about a thousand-fold higher protein content than most terrestrial animals. This unique source of protein is being used for a variety of applications, from animal feed to insect burgers. Kentucky-based company EnviroFlight raises soldier fly larvae for use in animal feeds, including commercial poultry and fish. These fast-growing larvae can be harvested dozens of times per year, making them an ideal source of protein.

To test the theory of protein intake, researchers created mutant fly larvae that didn’t produce Sestrin protein. These mutant flies lacked the amino acid leucine. When the flies were fed a leucine-free diet, they died within two or three days. These experiments show that flies need this amino acid to survive.

Black soldier fly larvae grow to be nearly an inch long and can eat more than twice their body weight a day. By the time they reach adulthood, their weight grows tenfold, making them comparable to a 40-tonne humpback whale. This binge-eating habits help these insects accumulate nutrients to survive their adult lives. As a result, they can produce 60,000 kilograms of protein per year. This is higher than the production of most crops.

Studies have shown that fly diets can influence egg production. This is based on a protein in the fly’s stomach called Sestrin. This protein helps flies choose between different kinds of foods. In one study, researchers offered the flies two different types of apples. The normal flies developed a preference for leucine apples, while the leucine-deficient flies could not tell the difference between the two.

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