We use a composting barrel. We have lots of maggots in there. Am I putting too much food in and not enough other material? Should I put more leaves? Paper? Thanks.

Maggots are decomposers so they are not all that bad. Most people would back off on food stuff and put more dry leaves in.

so IF you have a big batch of maggots that are fat and dark/dirty colored as apposed to the little white ones occasionally seen in trash bags... ignorant questions follow:

are they most likely the same species of fly/maggot?

...we have a highly acidic soil due to lots of oak trees, So, I should just get a small basket of fresh(wrygrin) dry leaves and mix it in with the old food etal?

(FYI) we live in Highland Village, Tx (just outside the control zone of the monster HOA) LOL

I live in an oak covered neighborhood but we have very alkaline soil. Have you had yours tested to know that it is acidic?

If the maggots all look alike and are living in the same part of the same pile, they are probably of the same species.

It sounds to me like you have Black Soldier Fly Larvae. They are great little composters and have no vectors for human disease. I get them in my compost and worm compost bins, the worms just better compost what the BSFLs have processed. Look into Biopod Plus, and you will find good info.

I have recently discovered the Black Soldier Fly Larvae in my worm composting bin which is in the house. Now that I know that the BSFs are good composters and benign otherwise, I want to know what is the best thing to do with the ones that exit the bin. I think they are ready to pupate and that is why they exit. I find them on the tile floor or under throw rugs. It amazes me that the BSFs can move so far so quickly on my slick tile floor since they have no legs! I have been setting them outside the front door.

I would put them on top of your outdoor compost pile. Or, you can put them on a flat surface bird feeder for wild birds or feed them to fish or chickens if you have them. Many chicken and fish owners grow them for a great protein source. Interesting that they got into the indoor bin and are escaping as larvae!