Insect Farming in Canada

By Matt McIntosh

From dinner tables to farmyards, insects have many uses

Creepy-crawlies are common fare in many parts of the world. In recent years, edible insects like crickets and mealworms are gaining in popularity in Canada as well, both as stand-alone products and as culinary ingredients like protein powders. Human food aside, insects can also be used for a variety of other things, including pet food, livestock feed, and other consumer products. 

Getting edible insects and insect-based ingredients to processors and store shelves requires consistent production, however. That means rearing the critters on farms.  

A farm designed for chickens is not necessarily set up for sheep. The same applies to insects, in that how the farm looks will change based on the unique needs of individual insect species.  

A cricket farm, for example, might feature what’s been called “cricket condos.” That is, small towers which provide housing for the insects within the barn. Entomo Farms in Ontario uses this system to produce cricket-based snacks and protein powders.  

On the other hand, a totally different type of housing would be needed to raise flies. Enterra, Canada’s largest insect farm company, raises black soldier flies in vertical farming-style facilities.  

According to Bruce Jowett, marketing director for Enterra, the company’s Calgary location features three football fields worth of farming space under one roof. At any given time, three billion insects at various growth stages live within the structure.  

Why the black soldier fly?

Enterra began raising black soldier flies in 2008. The species was chosen because: 

• It is native to North America 
• Adult flies are easy to work with (they do not bite or sting) 
• Final products are high in quality proteins 
• They upcycle nutrients from which would otherwise go to the landfill 

From egg to product 

Growth stages of insects differ according to the species. For the black soldier fly, Jowett says they use a series of rooms within the barn to help the insect develop as efficiently as possible. 

The cycle starts once adults of the species mate to produce eggs. The eggs are raised in hatching rooms until the larvae emerge. Once that happens, the larvae are moved to new areas, then harvested before they pupate (the stage before adulthood).  

Their diet comes from food waste, or more precisely, food manufacturing by-products which would otherwise end up in the landfill. Indeed, Jowett says his company’s Calgary facility diverts 130 metric tons of food from the landfill every day. 

Harvest and processing 

At harvest, the grubs are quickly heated, then either pressed to separate the oil and dry matter – the latter being ground for protein powder – or left whole. 98 per cent of larvae are harvest and processed, the remaining two per cent being reserved for new breeding stock.  

The oil and protein powder are currently sold to animal feed manufacturers (specifically those making pet, poultry, pig, and fish feed). Whole grubs go primarily to the bird seed and backyard poultry market. Jowett says he and his colleagues continue to research how their products could be useful in other markets, including as components in cosmetics.  

Efficiently raising the black soldier fly requires optimal conditions be maintained at all times. This, says Jowett, is the most challenging part of farming the species because “optimal” means something different at each stage of development.  

“It’s not something you can quickly figure out. There’s a lot of research and development, and learning from past experience,” says Jowett. “We focus on one species and do it well.”