# Curly wing flies



## bugzilla (Mar 27, 2008)

Found 100 of these for sale for £2.30 at this site

How long will these live fed on honey? I want to feed flies but don't want to culture the smelly buggers. Also pupating maggots stinks but Im doing this atm

Huw


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## Moosashi (Mar 27, 2008)

do European feeder sellers usually ship to the US?


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## Andrew (Mar 27, 2008)

Even if they did it would be a waste of time/money, because they'd hatch before they got here.


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## Stuart89 (Mar 27, 2008)

Hey mate, got them cheaper here

£1.99 per tub of ~100

Curly Winged Flys

Stuart.


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## macro junkie (Mar 27, 2008)

Stuart89 said:


> Hey mate, got them cheaper here £1.99 per tub of ~100
> 
> Curly Winged Flys
> 
> Stuart.


hahah u beat me to it..this is why i buy mine from http://www.livefoodsforgood.co.uk/lfg/prod...3b95000e9848df3

bugzilla - they can last a good while if u feed them good.just order every 2 weeks..i order 2 boxes every 2 weeks..i only use them for L2-L4 nympths,then i move on to house flys..pain in the ###### tho..what they need to invent is flightless green and blue bottles.that would be great!


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## bugzilla (Mar 28, 2008)

macro junkie said:


> hahah u beat me to it..this is why i buy mine from http://www.livefoodsforgood.co.uk/lfg/prod...3b95000e9848df3bugzilla - they can last a good while if u feed them good.just order every 2 weeks..i order 2 boxes every 2 weeks..i only use them for L2-L4 nympths,then i move on to house flys..pain in the ###### tho..what they need to invent is flightless green and blue bottles.that would be great!


Thanks for that Stuart and MJ.

Would 2 weeks be their life time or do you just use that many  ?

I'll place an order today then I can get shot of the crickets. My local fishing tackle shop that I've been using for years sell maggots for £2.50 per pint. He's letting me have a few every week rather than take the whole lot in one  

Huw


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## macro junkie (Mar 28, 2008)

bugzilla said:


> Thanks for that Stuart and MJ.Would 2 weeks be their life time or do you just use that many  ?
> 
> I'll place an order today then I can get shot of the crickets. My local fishing tackle shop that I've been using for years sell maggots for £2.50 per pint. He's letting me have a few every week rather than take the whole lot in one
> 
> Huw


yer i use 1- 2 packs in about 2 weeks..there tiny by the way.thats why i get through so many..your see when u get them


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## bugzilla (Apr 2, 2008)

How long does it take for the pupae to hatch out?

The maggots I got from the tackle shop are all pupated but no sign of hatching out (are there any signs?) and those curly wings that arrived as adults are almost gone


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## mrblue (Apr 2, 2008)

if theyre maggots from the tackle shop then they are likely bluebottles. i find these take close to two weeks to hatch out at room temperature, so require a bit of planning ahead.


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## bugzilla (Apr 3, 2008)

Longer than I thought then  

I'll get a few every week so I have a constant supply on the go. I do like the convenience of curly wings though, easy to handle and don't fly away  so I may get more of these instead.


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## macro junkie (Apr 3, 2008)

those culy wings suck..i buy the casters and only half hatch..i emailed me to see if he would sale me the maggots but no such luck..so i got my buddie to get me somed pinkies..i now has bule and green bottles.


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## mrblue (Apr 3, 2008)

yeh curly wing flies can be convenient in terms of size (stopgap between fruit flies and bluebottles for example) and that most cant fly, but they can be very unreliable in terms of hatch rate, and if youre relying on a tub of casters to hatch out and they dont, youre up sh!t creek, a bit. if you do a search on the forum for them youll see numerous threads about peoples curly wings not hatching. granted, ive had good batches which hatch lots, but equally (probably more so) bad batches that hatch only a few, or none at all. so be careful! good to have a backup food source.


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## bugzilla (Apr 3, 2008)

So what causes them to not hatch out properly?

I've noticed one or two struggling to get free, could humidity be something to do with it?


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## mrblue (Apr 3, 2008)

one would think so, but in the past when i see the first few starting to hatch out and struggle, i make sure to spray and raise the humidty for the subsequent hatchings and it doesnt help at all. also, i keep all the tubs in pretty much the exact same conditions, and the way hatch rate is so variable under seemingly identical/similar conditions suggests it isn't to do with humidty or conditions, but something else. i really dont know why, i dont think i have ever read anyone take a guess at why. low hatch rate with bluebottles can usually be remedied by raising humidty, and keeping them a bit cooler, but with curly wings it just seems to be pot luck from what i can tell.


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## macro junkie (Apr 3, 2008)

have u got any idear mr blue where we can get them in maggot form?im thinking if i had them in maggots they might hatch better..mayby the guy whos turning the casters has them in the wrong conditions?just a silly guees.


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## mrblue (Apr 3, 2008)

no idea, i dont think there is enough demand for musca domestica maggots. pinkies and bluebottle maggots you can see how theyre good for fishing, so they are available. curly wing maggots dont really have a purpose or market, i dont think. in any case, if you can get a good supply of d.hydeii, and a good supply of greenbottles, then theres really not much need for curly wings in my opinion. other than the non-flying convenience i guess.


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## macro junkie (Apr 3, 2008)

mrblue said:


> no idea, i dont think there is enough demand for musca domestica maggots. pinkies and bluebottle maggots you can see how theyre good for fishing, so they are available. curly wing maggots dont really have a purpose or market, i dont think. in any case, if you can get a good supply of d.hydeii, and a good supply of greenbottles, then theres really not much need for curly wings in my opinion. other than the non-flying convenience i guess.


yer i live 10 mins from a shop that sells me blue and green bottles..i guess il just stick with them..very good hatching rate.and dam cheap..i get half a pint for 1.50£..if i buy more it becomes cheaper..i see mantis place sells casters but there's no where in the uk that sells normal green and blue bottle casters..im sure theres a market for it if any one can be bothered to exploit it.


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## bugzilla (Apr 3, 2008)

I was looking through the castors today and noticed loads of curly wings half stuck and dead :angry: 

Is there any way of telling if the bluebottle castors will hatch?


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## macro junkie (Apr 3, 2008)

bugzilla said:


> I was looking through the castors today and noticed loads of curly wings half stuck and dead :angry: Is there any way of telling if the bluebottle castors will hatch?


they will..there great at hatching..u bought maggots right?if u did it wil be fine..your know if there on the right track they get really dark untill before they hatch there almost black.


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## bugzilla (Apr 3, 2008)

Good news then. Some have turned dark today so hopefully will be supping on honey tomorrow  

I E-mailed livefoodsforlife to see if they have any suggestions on the curly wings. will keep you posted


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## macro junkie (Apr 3, 2008)

bugzilla said:


> Good news then. Some have turned dark today so hopefully will be supping on honey tomorrow  I E-mailed livefoodsforlife to see if they have any suggestions on the curly wings. will keep you posted


if u can get hold of the culy wing maggots let me know ok il buy a couple pints if u can get them


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## bugzilla (Apr 3, 2008)

macro junkie said:


> if u can get hold of the culy wing maggots let me know ok il buy a couple pints if u can get them


No worries I'llkeep my eyes open.


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