While most of us benefit more from exterminating insects, Brent Seegers, owner and CEO of Bioforge Labs, Inc. in Huxley, Iowa benefits from feeding them. As the United State’s largest manufacturer of insect diets, Bioforge Labs specializes in providing insects that are commonly perceived as pests, such as roaches, hornworms, fruit flies, and crickets, quality non-GMO foods similar to what they would eat in their natural environment. Why does it matter what insects eat? Because the insects Bioforge feeds are the insects used to feed your pet snakes, leopard geckos, bearded dragons, and other friendly reptiles. 

Twenty-four years ago, Brent Seegers, biologist and herpetologist, created a new segment of the pet industry–shelf-stable moist food for insects and reptiles. Driven by his desire to provide quality food which was not available at the time for his reptiles, Seegers spent two years in graduate school prototyping and testing “yummies”–palatable gelled food that contained proper nutrition, vitamins, and water all in one. Not only were these yummies popular amongst tortoises and lizards, their ability to remain shelf-stable for extended periods of time allowed the production of “prepackaged crickets”–a segment of the pet industry not previously possible. Since then, the live crickets, mealworms, fruit flies, and hornworms sold at various pet stores like PetCo and PetSmart are raised on the food Seegers manufactures in Huxley. 

While some products for reptiles come pelleted, freeze dried, refrigerated, or frozen, live insects are often regarded as best for reptiles because that is what they would eat naturally in the wild. However, breeding and shipping live insects is much trickier than other options and sometimes customers are put off by the idea. Reptile experts, called herpetologists, including Seegers will tell you that, “Reptiles are predators and hunting and capturing their food grants them the exercise and satisfaction they need to thrive.” 

The next time you are out hunting for live insects to feed your reptiles, remember that they were most likely raised on locally-sourced non-GMO ingredients at Bioforge Labs in Huxley. For more information about Bioforge Labs’ capabilities, please visit their website at www.bioforgelabs.com.