I wonder if the maggots would cause any problems. I had a ton of the little fruit flies appear late this summer (along with yellow jackets). It was the first time I had seen them, and I ate the berries as normal, even those which had been munched a bit. The most damaged ones weren't as tasty, though I'm not sure if it was just simple over-ripeness, or a higher maggot content. Usually, I did a cursory check to make sure there wasn't anything huge crawling out :) A quick Google didn't reveal any obvious issues, so as long as the taste isn't impacted I'll probably just keep eating them. I may avoid some of the more damaged ones... I'd be interested if anyone knows of a downside (other than the "eww" factor).

Getting sufficient quantities of compost, and other organic matter, into the soil seems to be the best defense against these, and many other soil dwelling insect pests.

I know it has been two years since the last post, but I feel this is the most relevant to my situation. I have a compost bin in an old garbage can, however, I didn't have a lid for it, so obviously it became soaked. Soon after, the maggots appeared. (I have absolutely no BSF larvae, so don't start on that.) The first step I took in attempting to get rid of them was drying them out. I found a lid, and turned the pile until it was at a normal/dry level. But the maggots stayed. I have no problem with them as they do contribute to breaking down produce quickly, but I didn't want to be contributing to a growth in the population of a pathogen-carrying insect. Finally I found a solution. I took clear painter's tarp and laid it over the can, then secured it so there was absolutely no air exchange. Then, I put it in the sun. I watched as temperatures climbed to 180 degrees for two days, then I removed the tarp and stirred...no maggots!! Even the ones that are presumably dead have already begun to decompose. I just wanted to share that my solution wasn't found in the mix, as once they infested, they stayed, but rather, it was found in changing the temperature. Happy composting!

No, all part of the process. The issue for most people is the fruit flies themselves if the bin is inside the house. Freezing fruit (then thawing) before adding can help if you want to cut down the number of flies. Also covering feedings up as well as smaller feedings that get eaten more quickly.