Template:POTD/2009-10-09
Two black soldier flies (Hermetia illucens) in the act of mating. A common and widespread species of soldier fly, the larvae serve many beneficial uses to humans: as scavengers in compost heaps, in manure management, in forensic entomology, and as live pet food. Adults, however, have no functioning mouth parts and instead spend their lives in search of mates and reproducing.Photo credit: Muhammad Mahdi Karim