Argh

[snowgoose]

So, last night / early this morning, my Popa spurca decided to hatch ( Woohoo )

Also, last night / early this morning, one of my fruit fly cultures collapsed ( Boohoo )

Now, I do have another culture, but it's not big enough to feed off yet.

No-where near me sells fruit fly cultures, so will have to order some online, however that will not be sent until Monday.

Now, I'm in need of emergency food for the L1 nymphs. The only thing I have available and small enough are bean weevils.

Would these be suitable as a short term food item for the nymphs?

Jake

 

[Ntsees]

If you have the larvae of the bean weevils, use those instead. They are much softer.

 

[snowgoose]

If you have the larvae of the bean weevils, use those instead. They are much softer.

OK, thanks, I will get the larvae out the beans and use them

Thanks

 

[Termite48]

You can also set out some lures around your house so you can attract wild fruit flies. If there are no present fruit flies to lure on the inside, try doing it outside. I use banana, but anything that is starting to ferment is attractive. You can even set up an open culture. This means that there is no lid on it. You just get a whole ripened fruit like a plumb or in the case of a banana, a 2" piece of it. Lay it where there is likely to be fruit flies foraging. Then when it starts to attract flies, place a plaastic cup over it but propped up at one side with something like a pencil, so it is open about 1/4". The fruit flies will go in anyway, but find it hard to leave. When you see a dozen or so flies, just pull out the pencil and you have trapped a dozen ff. Then slide a stiff piece of paper under the mess and take this to the freezer to do the stunning that is needed to easily transfer the flies to the nymphs' container.

 

[snowgoose]

Thanks for that Rich, but the weather here is quite cold at the moment, so I'm not sure if there will be any wild fruit flies around. I will have a go anyway , it's not like I have anything to lose

 

[azn567]

You can also raise the temperature of your current fruit fly culture with a heat lamp temporarily to have a burst in maggot production. Then you will get adult flies quicker. Its not good to leave it too long though since the culture could crash.

 

[snowgoose]

You can also raise the temperature of your current fruit fly culture with a heat lamp temporarily to have a burst in maggot production. Then you will get adult flies quicker. Its not good to leave it too long though since the culture could crash.

Brilliant, thanks for that Will warm them up for a short time then