# How big do fruit flies grow?



## 5ummer5 (Jun 24, 2008)

Hi all,

I have just received my fruit fly culture and they are a little smaller than what i was expecting! How big do they grow on average? At the moment it looks like i will need to feed my mantid 20 flies for her to be full! :blink: Is there any other flies i can buy which are bigger?

Thanks :lol:


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## OGIGA (Jun 24, 2008)

Hello. They aren't going to get any bigger than what you already see. The only way to get them bigger is if you separate them all and do selective breeding. That would take a long time though.


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## The_Asa (Jun 24, 2008)

Try bluebottle or houseflies.


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## hibiscusmile (Jun 24, 2008)

Yes, houseflies are the next step.


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## Blahandmee (Jun 24, 2008)

Yeah, fruit flys are for your little baby nymphs that can't handle anything else. Well at least melanogaster is. Well I fed my Chinese L3-4's melanogaster for a while, but whatever.


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## OGIGA (Jun 25, 2008)

Well, before houseflies and blue bottle flies, I'd recommend that you get D. hydei, larger fruit flies. Some house flies aren't much larger than them.

By the way, I'm assuming that your small fruit flies are D. melanogaster.


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## 5ummer5 (Jun 25, 2008)

Thank you everyone for the info. These are the ones i have http://www.livefoodsdirect.co.uk/prodinfo.asp?number=FFL1TUB.

I was just in a rush to buy some and i should have taken more care with what i was ordering!  

Well my mantid moulted last nite so she is now an L6! Way beyond these little fruit flies!! Where can i get some bigger ones? I did buy some when i had my last mantid but that was over a year ago and they were a good size but i cant remember where i bought them


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## Rick (Jun 25, 2008)

L6? You need bluebottle flies, not fruit flies. You may even need to go with crickets or roaches.


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## 5ummer5 (Jun 25, 2008)

Yeah, i have got some crickets already and it seems to be eating them fine. I just wanted some variety in her diet. Ive found these http://www.reptiles.swelluk.com/reptile-su...sca--29825.html

I cant seem to find the bluebottle flies online at all. The ones in the link above will probably be ok for her until L7 then i would need to stick with crickets and bigger foods. Are locusts ok?


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## The_Asa (Jun 25, 2008)

Yes, locusts are fine. Does grubco ship international?


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## OGIGA (Jun 25, 2008)

My adult virescens live on hydei just fine...


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## pedro92 (Jun 26, 2008)

Go to mantisplace.com for blue bottle flies and many other feeders.


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