Fly farming is a specialized breeding project, mainly used to produce protein feed

Fly farming refers to the specialized breeding activity of raising flies artificially, with the housefly (Musca domestica) as the main species, though some farmers also raise saprophagous insects such as the oriental latrine fly (Chrysomya megacephala) or the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens); in China it is sometimes also called fly maggot farming or engineered fly farming. This kind of farming sounds unusual, but its purpose is to obtain insect body resources such as fly maggots and fly pupae, not to keep them casually for fun.

Artificial fly farming mostly uses cage rearing or house rearing: breeding flies are placed in gauze mesh cages and fed adult feed such as brown sugar water and milk powder, and after they lay eggs the egg clusters are moved to maggot-rearing pools for cultivation. The larvae, commonly called maggots, are generally fed on wheat bran, livestock and poultry manure, or kitchen waste, and grow very quickly in a warm, humid environment. A fly can complete one generation from egg to larva to pupa to adult in just over ten days, with strong reproductive capacity and a very short breeding cycle.

Fly maggots are high in protein; fresh maggots or dried maggot meal can be used to feed chickens, fish, frogs, scorpions and other animals, and can replace traditional feeds such as fishmeal to a certain extent. At the same time, fly larvae have a large food intake, so fly farming is also used to break down livestock manure and organic waste, combining insect production with waste treatment, making it a farming project that turns waste into treasure.

In practice, preventing escape is key: the rearing house must be fitted with screen doors and screen windows, and drainage outlets must be sealed tightly with fine mesh to prevent fly swarms from escaping and affecting the surrounding environment. Breeding flies should ideally be domesticated varieties introduced through proper channels, and in daily operations it is also necessary to guard against natural enemies such as rats, ants and frogs stealing the insect bodies, as well as to keep the site sanitary by regularly clearing residual feed and disinfecting.