# Coming on 2 weeks, and Blue Bottle Flies still haven't hatched?



## TheSamuraiCop (Apr 13, 2019)

As the title states: I ordered 200 spikes about 2 weeks ago, and I haven't had a single fly hatch. At least half of them have been kept to room temperature, while the other half were added about 6 days ago.

I started with keeping some in the enclosure, changed my mind to adding some to a jar setup, and then decided to add all of them. Throughout all of this, not a single pupae hatched (right now it's a mix of larvae and pupae.)

I should also mention that one if the larva now has a reddish mark on him? I should further mention that I've never once seen one of these larvae move, but perhaps that's normal. I have about 1/3 in that black pupae form, but with no luck.

Do I have a bad batch? Or has something just gone wrong? I'm so baffled here. I'm just feeling nervous because one of my guys isn't paying much attention to his waxworms anymore, and clearly wants flies.


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## hysteresis (Apr 13, 2019)

@TheSamuraiCop

Larvae should be motile until they shrink up into a smooth ovoid shape, turning gold, then a translucent cherry. That can take a few days for a batch. They stay like that. Hard, and getting subsequently darker.

Mine take up to 2 weeks after pupating. Today, i had a batch explode with juicy flies.

Main issue I encountered experimenting with this process is they can easily dry out. If they do, they wont form properly or eclose as flies. I mist very lightly, and with a very fine mist daily.

Take one that is smooth and not misshapen and cut it open. If the contents are dry, they wont ever eclose.

If theyre not smooth and ovoid,  they wont eclose. 

Ill follow up with photos later, once im back at home.


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## FeistyMcGrudle (Apr 13, 2019)

I bought some BB spikes a couple months ago, thinking I could just pupate and hatch them myself, and failed miserably. I'm still not 100% positive I didn't throw away 250 pupating maggots, but the sight and stench was just too much for me to handle. I think I managed to get half a dozen flies out of the whole thing, but for the most part it looked like a disgusting mass of dried up and stuck together maggots and it looked the exact same way for two weeks until I had enough and tossed the whole thing. I've started buying pupae and haven't looked back.


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## hysteresis (Apr 13, 2019)

Im swimming in flies from this last batch. I think I have it down:

Mist the spikes lightly. They'll pupate no problem if theyre wiggling like they should.

Once theyve pupated, its simple fare. Dont let them dry out. Mist these lightly. Not sure why some folk see flies in a few days. Maybe its because they buy pupae that have sat for a week or more already? Mine take well over a week and closer to two. Even more. But my last cup is popping and it's been over a couple weeks for that batch.

Be patient. Temps 70-80F. Mine are 70-72. I dont put them under heat, cos I risk drying them out.

Pictures soon. Wife has me prepping for our kid's bday party tomorrow like im hired help.


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## hysteresis (Apr 13, 2019)

As they start pupating. This is typical a couple days in. Different colours. Some may still be motile.







They become a mellow dark cherry.






They start eclosing (mine have) when the insides darken, making them look like little turds.


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## TheSamuraiCop (Apr 13, 2019)

Hmm alright, after seeing your photos, I'm convinced my spikes were DOA. What I have are lifeless larvae and a few pitch black looking pupae. Definitely no movement, nothing close to resembling the color above. I might have to order a new batch, and hope the best for the old one. I'll try and take a picture in a little while. 

Any reccs on what I can feed a subadult Orchid in the meantime? I hear crickets are a no no. I've tried waxworms, which she eats, but she hasn't eaten in about a week. She isn't close to a molt either I think. Its been weird.


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## hysteresis (Apr 13, 2019)

They can eat crix. Certainly.

You can pull the head off a crix and pull most of its upper gut along with it. Best if you quarantine crix for a week to flush out their guts, but theres no point if you starve your orchid. Clean healthy crix wont hurt a mantis. Their mandibles can, but I havent had issue. Behead them to be safe.

Mealworms, superworms, crix grasshoppers or locusts, roaches.

My orchids molted to adult on BSF and BBF maggots (spikes).


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## TheSamuraiCop (Apr 14, 2019)

As promised, here is a pic of them. I suppose they could just take a super long time to hatch. I guess time will tell! In the meantime I should really order actual pupae. I made the mistake of ordering spikes when I needed food faster.


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## hysteresis (Apr 14, 2019)

Ouch. Did you mist them in this substrate, or keep them dry?

That's mostly dead spikes!

This isnt going anywhere.


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## TheSamuraiCop (Apr 14, 2019)

Oh no! Yeah, I kept them misted, and thought I did everything correctly.

Honestly, they really look exactly the same as when they arrived. I didn't even know the spikes were supposed to move lol. I thought they were already going into a pupae form or something. 

It would almost be funny if it didn't mean I'll have to order more. Pupae this time for sure.

I think these were just DOA tbh. 

So the black pupae in there... do you think those are worth keeping for a while to see?


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## hysteresis (Apr 14, 2019)

Maybe si, maybe no.

Cut one open to determine if its dessicated or rotten. Hard to say.

Generally, if the shape is ovoid and smooth, chances are better than if it's misshapen. 

Illuminate from underneath to shine through it. Or, single those pupa aside and wait. Nothing to lose.


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## hysteresis (Apr 14, 2019)

Oh. If they stink, youre done. You could have a few eclose, but if they were that bad off to start, it's unlikely.

Healthy smells ammonia-like. Unhealthy smells like decomposition.


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## TheSamuraiCop (Apr 14, 2019)

Haha. Yeah I just ended up dumping the entire jar. I think I've been raising dead insects for 2 weeks, which explains why it smelled so horrible. I certainly learned a lot about Blue Bottle Flies this week. I have some pupae on the way this week. Something that's going to arrive a bit more ready, and hopefully alive.

Thanks for the help!


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