# Fly Larvae



## athicks (Jun 18, 2007)

I just bought fly larvae from Grubco and am curious what happened.

I recieved the package but in all the cup there are little black things and maybe 2 white larvae that look more soft-bodied than meal worms. I am curious if the shipment got to hot and the fly larvae died?

Or are they pupating and I am about to have a million flies?

Quick help would be appreciated  

+Should I refrigerate?


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## randyardvark (Jun 18, 2007)

probably pupae, unless they look like black maggots, if they are more oval then they are pupae  give them a week, you can split them into batches and refrigerate the meaning you should have a steady supply of food (take one batch out when the 1st have emerged ect,

but you dont need to refrigerate them


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## Rick (Jun 18, 2007)

I would contact Grubco for a replacement. They do turn dark when they are pupating but when they turn black it means they are dead. Grubco will do you right.


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## athicks (Jun 18, 2007)

Hmm, ok. I am pretty sure that they are pupae because I found two live grubs crawling around and they look a lot longer than what all the black things are.

But, how long does it take pupae to hatch? (about a week?) I only have a few mantids and they don't really need so many flies!

Right now they are in the (12) cups of 50. Could I take out 5 or so of the (maybe) pupae and put them into mantis cages?

When they hatch, how large are the flies? If they are too tiny they might escape!

But I think I am going to contact Grubco for at least a partial re-send


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## athicks (Jun 18, 2007)

On the plus side... few (5-ish) fly grubs moving around look delicous!


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## Rick (Jun 18, 2007)

Even if they are not dead they will all hatch about the same time and you will have hundreds of flies. I think they're dead since they are black.


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## athicks (Jun 18, 2007)

OK, thanks Rick. I'll call Grubco tomorrow. I think it is because they were stuck in transit over the weekend.


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## OGIGA (Jun 18, 2007)

Hmm, I didn't know they would have a live shipment waiting around for a Monday to come. Anyway, they take about 5 days but maybe less now that the weather is warmer. Are they really black or are they dark brown?


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## athicks (Jun 18, 2007)

Quite the mix, some brown, some reddish-brown and some black.

I looked at this site: http://deathonline.net/decomposition/corps...flies/pupae.htm

and the things look similar although more black on average.

It has been a really hot few days in Phili, with high humidity.


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## OGIGA (Jun 18, 2007)

I say they're fine then. I don't know why they're so red in that picture.


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## Rick (Jun 19, 2007)

> OK, thanks Rick. I'll call Grubco tomorrow. I think it is because they were stuck in transit over the weekend.


Stuck in transit over the weekend? Yeah call em up. You don't want dead and already pupating maggots. You want fresh maggots you can put in the fridge and take out when you're ready for them to pupate.


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## Birdfly (Jun 19, 2007)

Sounds like you have healthy fly pupa, dont worry, just stick them in the fridge bar one cup of x amount [depends how many mantids you have to feed] take out a small amount every few days to a warm area, not in the sun. I have read it takes 10 days for greenbottles to hatch out and a bit more for blue bottles, but in my experience it takes a bit longer.

Gut load the flies when they hatch with honey or fruit pulp for a few days then feed them to your mantids.

Some times a tiny spray of water will help them hatch out if they are close, but they must not be wet or they will rot.


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## OGIGA (Jun 19, 2007)

Yeah, don't ever put them in the sun. I thought it would make them eclose faster, but it killed them instead.


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## Rick (Jun 19, 2007)

> Sounds like you have healthy fly pupa, dont worry, just stick them in the fridge bar one cup of x amount [depends how many mantids you have to feed] take out a small amount every few days to a warm area, not in the sun. I have read it takes 10 days for greenbottles to hatch out and a bit more for blue bottles, but in my experience it takes a bit longer.Gut load the flies when they hatch with honey or fruit pulp for a few days then feed them to your mantids.
> 
> Some times a tiny spray of water will help them hatch out if they are close, but they must not be wet or they will rot.


You read wrong. My bluebottles take no longer than a week to turn into flies.

Did you call Grubco for a replacement athicks? Remember you paid for fresh maggots not black dead or already pupated maggots.


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## athicks (Jun 19, 2007)

I did call Grubco today.

But the phone-person said that she could not help me, not even to try re-shipping the order. Apparently they "do not garuntee live delivery when the temperature exceeds high 80's."

I had two problems with this policy:

1) Their promise to attempt redelivery twice should not be negated by saying that they do not garuntee live delivery. I don't mind getting black maggots twice more as long as Grubco lives up to their promise.

2) Their temperature is high ninetees, but the temperature in Philladelphia was low eighties. Their temperature should not really affect my receival of the grubs.

The phone-person said that I should call back Friday when their owner is in. I will call back then, and hopefully it will have cooled down and not heated up.

Thanks for your help everyone though.


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## yen_saw (Jun 19, 2007)

I had the same problem using priority mail which sometimes take 4-5 days, so i use express mail and it works out alright (all larvae are alive). I did request them to re-ship the parcel once when all larvae were dead (using priority mail), the larvae is free but i have to pay for shipping fees. However, the result is the same where all larvae die under Houston heat.


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## athicks (Jun 19, 2007)

Well, i think I can handle shipping fees. I mean, i have already invested in this and it is nice to have a steady source of food.


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## Birdfly (Jun 20, 2007)

> > Sounds like you have healthy fly pupa' date=' dont worry, just stick them in the fridge bar one cup of x amount [depends how many mantids you have to feed'] take out a small amount every few days to a warm area, not in the sun. I have read it takes 10 days for greenbottles to hatch out and a bit more for blue bottles, but in my experience it takes a bit longer.Gut load the flies when they hatch with honey or fruit pulp for a few days then feed them to your mantids.
> >
> > Some times a tiny spray of water will help them hatch out if they are close, but they must not be wet or they will rot.
> 
> ...


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## Rick (Jun 20, 2007)

> > > Sounds like you have healthy fly pupa' date=' dont worry, just stick them in the fridge bar one cup of x amount [depends how many mantids you have to feed'] take out a small amount every few days to a warm area, not in the sun. I have read it takes 10 days for greenbottles to hatch out and a bit more for blue bottles, but in my experience it takes a bit longer.Gut load the flies when they hatch with honey or fruit pulp for a few days then feed them to your mantids.
> > >
> > > Some times a tiny spray of water will help them hatch out if they are close, but they must not be wet or they will rot.
> >
> ...


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## Asa (Jun 21, 2007)

It's easier.


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## Birdfly (Jun 21, 2007)

Yes it is.

I think we'll have to agree to disagree, its circumstances.

But i will say if i wanted flies but couldn't get flies delivered straight to my door, then pupa, castors, crysalis would be my next bet because they are closer to the fly stage. After hatching they then have to be gut loaded, which adds more time to the process.

I can see your point, you have a lot of mantids and need such volumes of flies and you buy maggots in large quantitys much like i do, it is easier to control these amounts.

I buy a pint at a time, [blue/greenbottle mix] put the lot in the greenhouse and wait for them to hatch at between 65f night temps to 85- 90f day temps, half way through the pupal stage[about a week] i usually buy another pint [if tackle shop is open?] i always have hundreds more than i can use.

People who dont have large numbers of mantis wont need the same volumes of flies and pupae will be fine for them and will reward them quicker.

I have large quantitys of fruit fly feeding/breeding on bruised banana, the blue/greenbottles feed on the juices that drip from this and i usually pore an amount of honey/royal jelly over a tray of mashed banana specifically for the larger flies, kept like this they last for weeks and i can always rely on picking out well gut loaded flies to feed. I also believe they are a better food if they are allowed to fly around for a few days and fully develop there flight muscles.


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