Garden Soldier Fly

The Garden Soldier Fly or Blue Soldier Fly, Exaireta spinigera, is a member of the Stratiomyidae family of invertebrates. World wide there is nearly 3000 species of Stratiomyidae. The Garden Soldier Fly is endemic to Australia (and NZ?).

The adults are dark, wasp-like flies and they are good pollinators. They lay their eggs in decomposing vegetable matter: they love compost bins. (Check out Costa from Gardening Australia learning how to make a Soldier Fly farm on You Tube) You can actually purchase the larvae online and add them to your compost heap or feed them to the chooks!

Soldier Fly Larva. Credit gardeningknowhow.com

In some places around the world, Black Soldier Fly larvae, Hermetia illucens, are used to rapidly degrade organic biowaste that is produced by markets, food industries and restaurants.

Bulk Soldier Fly larvae for industrial use. Credit FAO United Nations

The adult fly only lives for a few days, most of which is spent finding a mate. After mating and laying eggs, the adults die. The larvae look very much like and are often mistaken for maggots. The larval stage can be several weeks long.

Soldier flies are harmless to people, and serve a beneficial role in helping decompose garbage and pollinate plants.