Live Organic Black Soldier Fly Larvae

Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL) — often sold under brand names like NutriGrubs, CalciWorms, or Phoenix Worms — are arguably one of the most nutritionally complete feeder insects you can offer a reptile.

Here is why they make such an excellent staple diet for your scaly friend:

• The Perfect Calcium Ratio: This is their biggest selling point. Unlike crickets or mealworms, BSFL naturally possess a calcium-to-phosphorus ratio of roughly 1.5:1 to 2:1. This is the exact balance reptiles need to absorb calcium properly, meaning you rarely have to dust them with extra calcium powder to prevent Metabolic Bone Disease.
• Built-in Immunity Boost: They are incredibly rich in lauric acid, a beneficial fatty acid known for its antimicrobial properties. It helps fight off harmful bacteria and viruses right in your reptile's digestive tract.
• Lean Protein: They offer high-quality protein without the heavy fat load found in waxworms or superworms, keeping your reptile healthy without risking obesity.
• High Engagement: Their intense, frantic wiggling triggers a strong natural hunting response, making them irresistible even to notoriously picky eaters.

Here is how to maximize their shelf life so they last for several weeks:

• Hit the temperature sweet spot: The ideal storage temperature is between 50°F and 60°F (10°C and 15°C). At this range, they enter a dormant state, slowing their metabolism and halting the pupation process. A wine cooler is the perfect environment for this.
• Avoid the kitchen fridge: A standard household refrigerator is usually kept around 35°F to 40°F. This is entirely too cold and will kill the larvae within a few days. If you don't have a wine cooler, a cool, dark basement or the coolest cabinet in your house is your best bet.
• Maintain the substrate: Keep them in the container and substrate they arrived in (usually peat moss, sawdust, or coconut coir). If the substrate feels bone-dry, you can add just one or two drops of water. Do not over-wet it, or they will suffocate and mold.
• Skip the food: Unlike crickets or mealworms, BSFL do not need to be gut-loaded. They are already packed with nutrients, and they will not eat while in their dormant state anyway.

Can I still feed them if they turn black?

They are very likely not dead! When Black Soldier Fly Larvae turn dark brown or black and become stiff, they are simply entering their pupal stage — the final transition before they emerge as adult flies.

You absolutely can still use them as feeders, but there are a few things to keep in mind:

• Even More Calcium: As they harden into pupae, their calcium content actually spikes, making them incredibly nutritious.
• Tougher Exoskeleton: The dark outer casing is much harder than their white grub form. For robust chewers like Francis and Xena, crunching through the stiff pupae won't be an issue at all. However, smaller or softer-biting reptiles might have a harder time breaking through and digesting the thicker shell.
• Lack of Movement: Because they stop wiggling, picky eaters might lose interest. While your bearded dragons might happily snap them up, you might find that Mogwai and Shelley ignore them without the visual trigger of a moving grub.

If any of the pupae do accidentally hatch into adult flies before you get the chance to feed them, you don't need to throw them out. The adult flies are completely harmless — they don't sting, bite, or even have functioning mouthparts — and their erratic flying makes for fantastic enrichment and hunting practice.

Shipping Tips

• Please check your weather conditions prior to ordering to make sure inclement weather delays and extreme temperatures are avoided!
• We ship with USPS in the summer and UPS in the winter. If you live in Florida or on the West Coast, we will use USPS year-round (unless you purchase UPS 2nd Day Air or Next Day Air).
• In the summertime, we HIGHLY recommend doing Hold for Pickup at your nearest Post Office. Hold for Pickup means the Post Office will hold your order until you pick it up. Under normal circumstances, the Post Office will call you to let you know it is ready for you to pick up. This option requires no extra steps from you other than your permission and your phone number. Watch your tracking carefully in case the Post Office doesn't call you - sometimes they forget!
• Please understand that when your order leaves our facility and is taken in by the Postal Service or UPS, we no longer have control over its fate. Delays and shipping issues are very common these days, and there is not much we can do to move the package forward when that happens. We do have contacts at USPS, but they can really only give us insight as to where it might be. They cannot predict when it will arrive!
• We've found that most order death occurs in the last leg of the trip, from your local Post Office or UPS hub to your door. This is why Hold for Pickup is so important for hotter or colder temperatures (80+ degrees, or 45 degrees or less).
• Most farms require Hold for Pickup no matter what, or they won't honor a live guarantee. We try to be a bit more flexible than that, but if we see your weather is too hot or cold, please take our recommendation to Hold for Pickup! We promise it's for the best!
• We will do our best to reship orders that arrive dead; please let us know ASAP when this happens. While we don't love to see photos of dead bugs, we may ask for one so we can make adjustments on how we packaged them if needed.