Day 11: Maggots in My Bokashi Balde
- Lanie Bokashi
- Dec 8, 2019
- 2 min read
Updated: Aug 8, 2020
Maggots (mostly white) are the larvae of house flies. How the h**** do they get in my bokashi balde? Kadire!
Before I answer your question, I would like to pacify you by saying, " its not something to worry about". At day 17, which is about the time that the fermentation is in full swing these Maggots should already be dead. You will see them sticking in the sides of your balde or the inside of the lid (takip ng balde).
If they are still alive and moving about, remedy it by adding more bran .. ensuring its well covered. Then put paper on top and then an old plate and a big rock or something heavy that will serve as paper weight. Sealing the kitchen waste (and the maggots) - ensuring no air gets in. Then cover the lid tightly (Sit on it). Cover your faucet with tape / plastic. Then do not open your balde for a few days. This will start a very aggressive fermentation - killing the maggots in process.
SO, how did it get in my balde, you say? Flies are very opportunistic- they can get in your food in different ways
1. at the source, grocery/wet market - they can lay eggs on your food
2. in your kitchen, particularly your temporary storage (even if you only open it for a few seconds)
3. when you transfer your food waste from your temporary storage to your Bokashi Balde
4. if the lid is not properly closed
5. through the faucet, if not properly closed
Regardless, how they got to your food/ food waste, the eggs will hatch in 8 to 24 hours. BUT- it cannot survive the fermentation process. I have never seen a Bokashi balde with live houseflies - buzzing around. None, at ALL!
If you have chooks! its a good feed for them. If you do not have chooks, then its a good protein source in your compost! Better in your Bokashi Balde than outside it! :)
Also refer here : https://bokashiliving.com/question/maggots/
If your bokashi bucket only contains RAW veggie / fruit scraps and you followed the daily challenges up to this day - then the Bokashi Odour should either be that of ATCHARA or KIMCHI, and if ever there are maggots they should not be alive or are dying at this point.
If you only put RAW Veggie /fruit scraps and it smells PUTREFYING , not FERMENTING (not Kimchi smell / not Atchara smell) - then check the following possibilities
- air can get in
- not enough bran
- the bucket is exposed to sunlight
TROUBLESHOOTING:
To correct it, add more bran - then compress your kitchen scraps by putting an old plate on top and something heavy like a heavy plate. Ensure that the bucket is in a cool dry place.
Action items for the day:
□ If you missed the previous daily challenge now is the time to catch up on reading.
Back to: Day 16 (BO) Bokashi Odour Next: Day 18 Mold- Friend or Foe?
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