# Fruit fly enclosures



## Jackson (May 31, 2005)

I have some mantids nympths and some Adults that will soon be breeding.

I have a fruit fly culture and to feed the mantids i just shake the box of fruit flys over the cricket box that has a nypth in. However, flys keep coming out onto my desk and the fly larvae and crysilis climb out of the box onto the sides.

Does anyone know an enclosure i can make/bulid that will make it easier to catch fruit flys without them escaping?


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## Rick (May 31, 2005)

Are you using wild caught fruit flies? If so I suggest you order a few cultures of lab flies. The ones that cannot fly. If thats not possible then use a small glass container with a a small opening. Then you could put that into the freezer for a few minutes until the flies get cold and then shake it into your mantid enclosure.


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## Jackson (May 31, 2005)

These are store bought, flightless fruit flys, but they jump like crickets all over my desk :roll:

I was thinking more along the lines of a enclosure to keep several cultures in that i can keep in a shed to keep the smell of pee outta my room (Good thing i bought some incense sticks the other day  )

Any suggestions will be really helpful!.

If not i'll try to design one on paper tomorrow and post a pic if i get time.


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## Max (May 31, 2005)

Oh Yea Jackson, The Ones I Get At The Pet Shop Smell Like Pee And They Jump All Over The Place.......They Are Small So It Kinda Hard To Pick Up Like 40 Jumping Flies


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## Macano (May 31, 2005)

The fruit fly containers I used had a small hole in the top with a foam stopper in it. I would just tap the top of the container several times to get all the flies off the stopper, then remove the stopper, then quickly turn the container upside down and tap once or twice to cause some flies to fall into the mantid container. I've never had a problem with any escaping. If all else fails, just put the container into the fridge for 5 or 10 minutes before feeding them to your mantids. They won't move much until they have been warm for a couple of minutes, making them easier to handle.

Edit: Oops just read that rick wrote pretty much the same thing. But hey it works!


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## DMJ (May 31, 2005)

I have the same thing Macano but I just cut the top off a bottle and turn it into a funnel type thing and just put it over the hole and shake it upside down and they easily go into whatever you want to feed.


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## Rick (Jun 1, 2005)

Mine are in small vials. They are about four inches high and only an inch or so across. I just tap the container to get the flies down at the bottom and then use a wide mouth funnel to distribute them to the mantids. If they are jumping everywhere throw the whole container in the freezer for a few minutes so they stop moving. It won't hurt the flies.


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