Tag: Housefly nutrition

An adult housefly (Musca domestica) weighs a mere 12 milligrams, meaning its protein content is exceptionally small on an individual basis. The real nutritional value of flies lies in their collective potential, not in a single specimen. This microscopic quantity of protein highlights the contrast between the nutritional density of insects and the sheer volume required to constitute a meal.

Recent studies on housefly larvae have shown crude protein content ranging from 28% to 64% on a dry matter basis, making them a significant biomass source. This surprising fact highlights the potential of houseflies as a sustainable protein source, particularly when considering their larval stage, which is far more protein-dense than the adult fly.