Black soldier fly larvae are the dominant species in insect protein farming, and their welfare during rearing and killing raises ethical questions given the scale of production.
Black soldier fly welfare illustrates the challenge of applying welfare thinking at the frontier of invertebrate sentience. These larvae have simple nervous systems that may or may not produce pain experience in any meaningful sense. The scale of BSFL farming — billions of animals — means even a small probability of suffering represents potentially significant aggregate welfare concern. Current kill methods were not designed with welfare in mind. Welfare-conscious insect farming research is beginning to identify the most rapid and effective kill methods that minimize any potential suffering. Given the enormous scale, even precautionary welfare improvements matter significantly in aggregate.