How Syntects approaches insect welfare in practice

At Syntects, insect welfare is embedded into how we rear, handle, and supply live insects, not added as an afterthought.

Controlled environments

Our insects are reared in carefully managed conditions designed around the species’ natural requirements. Temperature, humidity, substrate, and stocking density are all controlled to avoid stress and ensure healthy development.

Species-appropriate feeding

Black Soldier Fly larvae are fed on approved, consistent feedstocks that support normal growth patterns. Over-feeding, starvation, and sudden dietary changes are avoided because they can cause unnecessary physiological stress.

Minimal handling and disturbance

Excessive handling is avoided wherever possible. Processes are designed to let the insects behave naturally, with movement and intervention kept to what is strictly necessary for health, hygiene, and supply.

Clean, biosecure systems

Good welfare and good hygiene go hand in hand. Clean rearing environments reduce disease pressure and prevent unnecessary losses, benefiting both insects and end users.

Welfare and UK compliance go together

In the UK, insect use is tightly regulated. Syntects operates within these rules and does not blur boundaries for convenience.

It is important to be clear that:

Live insects can legally be fed to chickens and poultry in the UK
Dried insects cannot be fed to chickens or poultry
Dried larvae are appropriate only for uses such as wild bird feed

Responsible welfare means respecting these distinctions, not encouraging unsafe or non-compliant practices. Where dried insects are concerned, Syntects clearly positions them for appropriate, legal uses only, such as those explained here:
https://syntects.co.uk/dried-larvae

Is insect welfare regulated in the UK?

At present, insect welfare is not regulated in the same way as vertebrate livestock. However, UK standards around hygiene, feed safety, transport, and biosecurity already shape how insects must be produced.

Organisations such as DEFRA and the Food Standards Agency continue to review emerging evidence as insect farming expands.

Rather than waiting for minimum standards to be imposed, Syntects chooses to operate according to best available evidence and precautionary principles, ensuring welfare is taken seriously now — not retrofitted later.

Why welfare matters for chickens too

Good insect welfare doesn’t just benefit insects. It also matters for the animals that eat them.

Healthy, well-reared live insects:

Provide consistent nutrition
Reduce the risk of contamination or spoilage
Support natural foraging behaviour in chickens
Contribute to enrichment rather than stress

This is one reason live Calci Worms are central to Syntects’ approach to bugs for chickens, as explored further here:
https://syntects.co.uk/live-calci-worms

Transparency over claims

You will never see Syntects claiming that insects are “happy” or projecting human emotions onto them. That isn’t evidence-based, and it doesn’t help anyone make informed decisions.

Instead, we focus on:

Species-appropriate care
Minimising unnecessary harm
Clear legal compliance
Honest communication about limits and uncertainties

That approach builds long-term trust — and trust is essential in a fast-growing but still misunderstood sector.

Insect welfare is part of responsible insect farming

As insect-based systems become more common in UK agriculture, welfare will rightly become part of the conversation. Syntects is committed to being open about how insects are reared, why certain species are chosen, and where the boundaries are.

Responsible insect farming isn’t about marketing claims. It’s about doing the right thing quietly, consistently, and transparently — even when no one is watching.