# House Flies



## cloud jaguar (Jan 16, 2009)

Recently bought some housefly pupae and hached them out in "cup-o-flies" from mantisplace.com. In case you don't know, cup-o-flies is a small flat plastic tub with three small conatiners inside for water, pupae, and food.

It works great but now I have 100 flies buzzing around in there. My wife and I put them in the freezer for 3 minutes to put them to sleep but when we opened the container and tried to place them into approximately 30 mantis enclosures they were buzzing around like crazy.

After freeing half of the flies accidentally, we decided to find a better way. This is what we did:

1. Put flies to sleep in freezer,

2. use a spoon to fish them out and into a small empty plastic sponge stoppered culture jar.

3. cover the culture jar with a ale coaster - then connect the culture jar with the sponge stoppered hole in each mantis enclosure and remove the coaster and let a fly or two fly in.

This worked better than the first method but there must be a better way - WHAT IS THE BETTER WAY?

~Arkanis


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## Zephyr (Jan 16, 2009)

I'm no expert, and I don't have nearly as many mouths to feed, but, after the flies have been cooled, I would clip a wing or two. Delicate work, but it's worked for me in the past.


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## kamakiri (Jan 16, 2009)

I don't use houseflies...but I'd try the refrigerator not the freezer, and just leave them in longer.

And if you'd try my FlyHose style system...I think you'd need to use round holes (I noticed the containers that the limbatas had square holes) or it may not work so well. Might also be hard to attache to the larger/flatter cup-o-flies...

http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?ac...post&amp;id=545


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## hibiscusmile (Jan 16, 2009)

:lol: ha ha, silly boy, Get the lid with the hole in the middle next time, then u can release a couple in a cup or fruit fly bottle, one that has the small opening, works great, u get the fruit fly bottle and take the sponge out of opening and invert it and a couple fly in and then stick that in the hole in the mantis's house. Or

I pupae some right in the fruit fly bottles, just the amount I need for the day and stick it in the hole and they crawl out into the mantis house. I am selling maggots now too, they are going to come either in the fruit fly bottles for self pupaeing or feeding and cups, I know, I know, I don't do maggots, but I do have my breaking point :huh: , and over the Christmas holidays, I reached it with the fly people not delivering flies, so now I like big bro Rick, maggots and some pupae for me and my little friends, before u know it I will be doing roaches too  ...NOT!


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## cloud jaguar (Jan 16, 2009)

Hey, thanks everyone - those are some good ideas. For now we will probably go with cutting a hole in there - obvious enough i guess  but a good idea. Also we will use those little bottles to hatch the flies in too!


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## Katnapper (Jan 16, 2009)

I was trying to figure out a better way too and this was my solution.... Instead of hatching all the pupae in one container, I split them all up into more manageable amounts. Like if I had 100 house fly pupae, I'd put 20 in each of 5 smaller ventilated cups. I made some "fly cups" out of the small size containers I've been using from the Dollar Store. I cut a hole in the lid and hot glue aluminum screening on it for ventilation. Then I cut a smaller hole on the bottom and secure it with a foam plug. Maybe I should have put these holes in the sides, as the containers don't sit level with the foam protruding out the bottom... but it's not too much of a problem.

Then I smear some honey on the inside surface of the plug to maintain the flies. I put about 20 or so pupae in each fly cup, and when they hatch I use the fridge/freezer method. This way, you have less flies to portion out at one time, and hopefully they won't all wake up before you get them in the enclosures. It does take more containers and time to set each one up and maintain though. I usually mist them when I mist the mantids too.

The reason I smear the honey into the removable foam plug is so that I can "refill" or replace the plug with another honeyed-up one when that one gets old... and not have to move or remove the flies. And it sits up above the bottom of the container, so the pupae don't get all stuck to it.

This is just my beginners trial for "a better way." I'd still like to find something even easier... but I'm not sure something like that exists! House flys are just kind of a pain. Too bad they're just the best size feeder at times.


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## Rick (Jan 17, 2009)

You keep the maggots in the fridge and take out how many you want to turn into flies. Don't leave them all out or they will all pupate.


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## Katnapper (Jan 17, 2009)

Rick said:


> You keep the maggots in the fridge and take out how many you want to turn into flies. Don't leave them all out or they will all pupate.


I agree...  But when you get to the point that keeping them in the fridge will result in not hatching (like after 2 weeks or so), then you're forced to hatch them, and just maintain them as adults to at least get some use out of them... no?


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## Kruszakus (Jan 17, 2009)

I have another system - it's cheap, easy to make and actually quite efficient. But I'm not gonna tell you


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## Rick (Jan 17, 2009)

Katnapper said:


> I agree...  But when you get to the point that keeping them in the fridge will result in not hatching (like after 2 weeks or so), then you're forced to hatch them, and just maintain them as adults to at least get some use out of them... no?


What do you mean? It takes me over a month to go through a tub of them and they stay in the fridge the whole time. They never fail to turn into flies as long as they are still moving when I take them out of the fridge.


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## Katnapper (Jan 17, 2009)

Rick said:


> What do you mean? It takes me over a month to go through a tub of them and they stay in the fridge the whole time. They never fail to turn into flies as long as they are still moving when I take them out of the fridge.


Hmmm... will have to look at directions again if I can find them. I thought they said you could keep them in the fridge for up to a week... then you'd have problems with hatch rate... and eventually no hatch. So that's what I'd been doing. ***mublling to myself... where are those stupid directions?*** I've been afraid after about 2 weeks in the fridge that none of them would hatch anymore.


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## Rick (Jan 17, 2009)

Katnapper said:


> Hmmm... will have to look at directions again if I can find them. I thought they said you could keep them in the fridge for up to a week... then you'd have problems with hatch rate... and eventually no hatch. So that's what I'd been doing. ***mublling to myself... where are those stupid directions?*** I've been afraid after about 2 weeks in the fridge that none of them would hatch anymore.


As with most things I don't always take what I read as fact. I find what works for me. They last MUCH longer than a week. Eventually they will die but as long as the maggots are alive I get flies out of them. Eventually the dead ones turn black and I pick out the live ones lift and they still pupate.


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## cloud jaguar (Jan 17, 2009)

Ok thanks everyone - so it seems to me that the best thing would be to buy like 500 maggots and hatch out about 100 a week for 5 weeks -

So maximum maggot time in fridge is about 1 month (is this right*?)

And maximum pupae time in fridge is about 1 week???? (is that right?)


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## PhilinYuma (Jan 17, 2009)

Arkanis said:


> Ok thanks everyone - so it seems to me that the best thing would be to buy like 500 maggots and hatch out about 100 a week for 5 weeks -So maximum maggot time in fridge is about 1 month (is this right*?)
> 
> And maximum pupae time in fridge is about 1 week???? (is that right?)


1) The difference in "fridge life" that Ron and Katt mention may be due to a difference in fridge temperature. I have seen temps of around 38F, and when Sunny and I make fried eggs, those from her fridge are partially frozen, so it's around 32F. Also there can be a substantial difference in humidity,. I always keep an open jug of water in mine and I have recorded 36% humidity. Many are much lower.

2) I don't know Kruszakas's "secret method", but if it involves a five gallon bucket, panty hose and a sweater sleeve, it's pretty good. I'll send you the instructions for my setup by I.M. and try it again (last time I let the water evaporate). If it works for both of us, we can thrill our friends on the forum with it!


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## cloud jaguar (Jan 17, 2009)

As long as the secret method does not involve wearing the pantyhose then i am probably cool with it.

**I just feed and mist our mantids on alternate days and they seem fine.

Really though,

How long can pupae live in fridge?

How long can maggot live in there


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## Katnapper (Jan 18, 2009)

I've been buying the pupae... not the maggots. I don't have a problem with maggots. Would you suggest that might be a better option for me then (to increase shelf life)?


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## Rick (Jan 18, 2009)

Katnapper said:


> I've been buying the pupae... not the maggots. I don't have a problem with maggots. Would you suggest that might be a better option for me then (to increase shelf life)?


Oh I see. Yes I think so.


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## hibiscusmile (Jan 18, 2009)

Pupae last a good three weeks at least, the hatching will be less and they will be slow flies and wings messed up, but will still hatch for you. Sometimes if u get really good pupae, (which all depends on what supplier sends me :{ ) then they hatch for a good long time. I am going with the spikes now, cause I am tired of playing with the pupae for my group, I still have the pupae, but mainly to supplement until they hatch and for customers who want them, I order every two weeks so they are fresh as long as they give me fresh, sometimes for who knows why I get bad batches, this is for both bb and house. Like I said before, it is either feast or famine in the Bugatorium......  :huh: :angry: But I would not be without the flies because so many mantis need them, they cannot all eat crickets, I am breeding waxworm moths now and once or twice a week they get a supplement treat of a moth. Some like the wax worms but all like the moth.


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## Katnapper (Jan 18, 2009)

Rick said:


> Oh I see. Yes I think so.


Thank you. I see now too that you were talking about the maggots, when I had pupae on my mind. B) I just ordered a batch of pupae (will arrive this coming week), but think I'll try the maggots the next time.



Rick said:


> They never fail to turn into flies as long as they are still moving when I take them out of the fridge.


I've looked at the pupae pretty good when I've taken them out of the fridge. Before realizing you were talking about maggots and not pupae, I was thinking... Egads! Mine don't really move unless they're in the process of hatching. Hmmm.... will have to sit and stare at them for a while next time! Maybe I need the magnifying glass to see it!  :lol: 



Rick said:


> As with most things I don't always take what I read as fact. I find what works for me. They last MUCH longer than a week. Eventually they will die but as long as the maggots are alive I get flies out of them. Eventually the dead ones turn black and I pick out the live ones lift and they still pupate.


I was thinking.... But they're ALL black!!! :huh: (Again, completely missing the reference to maggots, and "pupate" not "hatch."  



Arkanis said:


> Really though,How long can pupae live in fridge?
> 
> How long can maggot live in there


Yes, I'd like to get an approximate consensus for comparison and reference also! (Assuming average or normal fridge temps that aren't close to freezing). Thank you.


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## damizz (Jan 18, 2009)

I have been meaning to try the maggots over pupae for longer "shelf life" but I hear they can be pretty nasty smelling. Just how bad do they smell?


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## Rick (Jan 18, 2009)

damizz said:


> I have been meaning to try the maggots over pupae for longer "shelf life" but I hear they can be pretty nasty smelling. Just how bad do they smell?


Don't believe everything you hear. Never noticed any smell. Mine are from grubco.


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## hibiscusmile (Jan 18, 2009)

the maggots, surprising do not smell anywhere near like the pupae doo! The last batch of pupae I got smelled like dog doo! It was awful, I am using the last of it today and tomorrow, I even had to wash some in a strainer. Not the one I use for noodles :lol: . Although I was that desperate. I called and was told that is was not cleaned more than once. So I cleaned it. I had to hold it an arms length away from me to feed, even the flies stunk! So no the maggots do not smell too bad, pupae does depending on the length and cleaniness of it. BTW, grubo gets its maggots from the same pupae breeder. So I just buy my maggots off of them.


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## hibiscusmile (Jan 18, 2009)

Quote "I've looked at the pupae pretty good when I've taken them out of the fridge. Before realizing you were talking about maggots and not pupae, I was thinking... Egads! Mine don't really move unless they're in the process of hatching. Hmmm.... will have to sit and stare at them for a while next time! Maybe I need the magnifying glass to see it! "

ha ha, while your r staring at them, try counting them too!


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## Kruszakus (Jan 20, 2009)

Rick said:


> Don't believe everything you hear. Never noticed any smell. Mine are from grubco.


Rick - be glad that you don't know the smell of pupae from larvae bought without sawdust - it smells worse than rancid faeces.


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## nasty bugger (Jan 21, 2009)

My cousin, who is a habitual yard sale fanatic, supposedly has a device for blowing bugs into a bottle/jug, but I haven't seen it yet. I was going to go by some horse stalls and see about setting it up, but I think I'll avoid horses that have been dewormed or had other antibiotics lately.

As to transfering, I'm considering, not tested yet, one of those little vacuum cleaners for computer keyboards, and hooking it to a tube with a sponge between it and the flies catch chamber/tube, then suck a few into the tube and cap it with a piece of sponge.

I want to see if there's an output on the little vacuum that I can use to push the flies out of the chamber/tube, into the mantis enclosure then.

The thing that limits the vacuum on a real vacuum cleaner, like my moms, a sleave that covers a hole in the suction tube that can be opened or closed to limit or let full suction be applied, is why I am considering this setup. When the amount or suction necessary is found, I can set the 'limiter' and pull them in, then close the 'limiter' and blow them out.

I think that using another smaller tube, that has a sponge to cap it, in the end of the larger sponge that caps the exit of the catch tube, would be nice, so you'd have a buffer area that the flies may not enter and would give time to uncap and insert the small tube into the mantis enclosure hole, preferably into a hole in the sponge that plugs the mantis enclosure so it seals around the tube, but with my luck the flies would all be forced against that sponge and die pinned to that sponge. I'm such a lucky guy  

What I'd like to do is just use a syringe and suck them into it, then 'inject' them into the mantis house, no infringements intended Rebecca B) 

OR

I'm curious if a waterbed thingy, that pulls water from the bed or aquarium by vacuum created by running through a venturi type device, can be adapted to be used with some blowing or forced air device, to pull the flies in one port, then push them out when attached to the other port.

Some type of memory sponge that would allow the 'sucker pump'  into a draw hole, that would close and not allow flies out when the device is removed, would be excellent. Even some normal sponge may suffice for this application.


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## nasty bugger (Jan 22, 2009)

another thought occured to me, yes, another one, that those tubes like they sell at home depot and other hardware strores, that the rubber type ends with a slit cut in them, so when you squeeze the tube at the ends of the slit so that it opens, may be somewhat effective in delivery into the mantis hole, but closing that hole off before the flies get out of the mantis enclosure would be the trick, so back to the old drawing board ( a device like Mr' Phineas J Whoopee used to explain things to Tennessee and Chumley)

Maybe a snuffer bottle, like gold panners use, to suck up the flies, then blow them into the mantis enclosures plug hole, or sumpin like dat.


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