been cooking tomatoes for the past few weeks, and the little guys will go through a pound or two of tomato scraps, 70% gone in like a day, this is probably a good thing.

not knowing what these little guys are, I'm concerned about using the compost in the gardens. I don't want to introduce something that may kill my plants. thanks

Both of these lay eggs on or near decomposing garbage, they eat their way through their larval period, and then they hatch out into whatever fly they are.

This link shows the lifecycle of the common housefly: http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/life/zoology/insects-ar achnids/housefly4.htm This is the nuisance fly that makes a nuisance of itself in your home, patio and around your picnics.

This link shows the larval and adult stages of the black soldier fly (BSF): http://www.esrint.com/pages/bioconversion.html You will notice that as the larvae of the BSF get larger, they get flatter and turn brown. If you have chickens, ducks, the larger pet birds, fish or some reptiles, they find these larvae delicious and nutritious at all stages, as they are high in protein, calcium and other nutrients. These flies hate being indoors, so you aren't likely to find them much in your house or around your food, as they prefer decomposing organic materials.

By the time the compost has finished, it's safe for either veggies or ornamentals, no matter which fly it is.

Sue