What would you do if your husband told you he was going to start breeding maggots?
Probably be grossed out, right?
Or at least skeptical?
Source: http://www.freshroomslifesciences.com/#section-2
Paul Rabauts wife sure was.
He earns money with MAGGOTS?
As soon as I heard that, I had to learn more.
No Interest Til Almost 2027?
Though Rabaut now earns a smallside incomewith maggots, that wasnt what motivated him to start breeding them.
As a biology professor, his main goal was to reduce food waste.
It just sits there and rots and creates methane gas.
Its highly toxic to the environment.
Maggots, however, change all that.
These guys take all thosefood scrapsand turn them back into food for other plants or animals, Rabaut said.
He told me thats also why hiscompostbin doesnt smell.
They eat it so fast that it doesnt really have a chance to rot, he explained.
They also mix it, which adds oxygen, so it doesnt break down aromatically.
By doing that, they transfer things like E. coli and salmonella.
But since soldier flies dont have a mouth, they dont do anything to you.
Even better, they actually reduce the numbers of disease-ridden flies in your backyard.
These guys eat so much stuff so quickly, they outcompete all the other bad flies, Rabaut said.
Their pheromones also ward off other flies, so they act like a giant fly repellent.
Who on Earth Would Pay for Maggots?
Fine, so maggots are a lot cooler and cleaner than I initially thought.
But still, who would PAY for them?
Or, more specifically, their owners.
Because maggots are chock full of protein and calories andpretty much the filet mignon of lizard food.
Want to Become a Maggot Farmer?
If youre interested, its imperative to first understand the life cycle of a maggot/soldier fly.
Note the pupae stage is when youll sell the maggots, as this is when theyre most calorie-dense.
Time to don your farming cap!
Heres how to start your maggot-breeding biz:
1.
Build a Maggot Bin
What the heck is a maggot bin?
Im so glad you asked!
Heres a photo of Rabauts maggot bin, which cost him about $100 in supplies.
These angled sides kind of push them into these holes, Rabaut explained.
That way, I never have to fish for them in the bin.
Fill it With Food Scraps
Now, where does one find maggots?
Is there a maggot catalog you’re able to order from?
Nope, for better or worse, maggots are free.
Fill the bin with food scraps, and theyll find you,Rabaut said.
You may have Flymageddon for a while.
But as explained earlier, the maggots will soon take over.
They dont eat, so you dont have to provide them with any food or water, Rabaut said.
Find a (Regular) Buyer
So far, Rabaut has only usedCraigslistto sell his maggots.
Every time I put up an ad, I get a bunch of hits, he said.
But, he warned this process is very effort-intensive.
If you want to scale your business, he recommended finding regular customers like lizard breeders or pet stores.
You could ask localrestaurantsor businesses.
Rabaut, for example, takes food waste from the college he works at.
Thats whats really nice about them, he explained.
On average, he feeds them about 100 pounds of scraps per week.
How Much Money Can You Earn With Maggots?
With that amount of food, Rabaut harvests around 10 pounds of maggot pupae per week.
For not a lot of work, either.
Anyone can do it, he said…
Will you?
Susan Shain, senior writer for The Penny Hoarder, is always seeking adventure on a budget.
Visit her blog at susanshain.com, or say hi on Twitter @susan_shain.
Probably not as good as youd like.
It always seems like an uphill battle to build (and keep) a decent amount in savings.
But what if your car breaks down, or you have a sudden medical bill?
Ask one of these companies to help…
