Darkrai283
Well-known member
Great to hear that the cotton balls are working well CosbyArt. 
Excelsior substitue?
- Thread starter JTHMfreak
- Start date
Help Support Mantidforum:
Hey if your looking for cheap 32 oz and 16 oz deli cups with lids go to a store that has a deli shop. I get 10 32. oz cups with lids for $3.50.. They are high quality because they have to be able to store food.. Just a thought
LAME
Tenodera sinensis (the one and only)
I'm also switching over to the cottonball method, made a fresh culture lastnight. Eager to see the results =D
LAME
Tenodera sinensis (the one and only)
So... I used the cottonball method with the medium posted on the forum and also the one provided by CosbyArt. I gotta say... MASSIVELY increased numbers.
I'll never buy a culture again! Lol... But seriously, I'm impressed.. Beyond.. I'm mind blown!
I'll never buy a culture again! Lol... But seriously, I'm impressed.. Beyond.. I'm mind blown!
Darkrai283
Well-known member
Glad to see that more and more are having success with my method and I told ya guys and gals that the cotton ball works wonders.
I actually read the cotton ball substitute thing from somebody on the UK mantis forum so the credit goes to him/her (I can't remember Who exactly it was). However, the yield of flies was still pretty small with the substrate he/she had written down... So I tried the cotton balls with my own personal mix and found out that it was waaay better.
BTW, has anybody tried to substitute the mashed potato for porridge oats or something similar?
*I also typed in the wrong ratio of the components of the substrate in one of my previous posts here. I made a new batch today and something didn't match up lol. It's a ratio of 6:1:1 and not 4:1:1.*
I actually read the cotton ball substitute thing from somebody on the UK mantis forum so the credit goes to him/her (I can't remember Who exactly it was). However, the yield of flies was still pretty small with the substrate he/she had written down... So I tried the cotton balls with my own personal mix and found out that it was waaay better.
BTW, has anybody tried to substitute the mashed potato for porridge oats or something similar?
*I also typed in the wrong ratio of the components of the substrate in one of my previous posts here. I made a new batch today and something didn't match up lol. It's a ratio of 6:1:1 and not 4:1:1.*
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LAME
Tenodera sinensis (the one and only)
I have not, though I have been adding additional ingredients such as applesauce, mashed bananas, pears,etc... And am able to get a "fruit purée" from my job that I'm currently using now to see how it works (made today.)
Honestly it seems if you add applesauce or something equivalent to the medium you get better results.... Well, at least that's what "I" have noticed.
I tried a culture with the same mix before, but without the cotton balls... It worked but not a lot of flies produced. Hopefully this time around it'll provide better results.
Honestly it seems if you add applesauce or something equivalent to the medium you get better results.... Well, at least that's what "I" have noticed.
I tried a culture with the same mix before, but without the cotton balls... It worked but not a lot of flies produced. Hopefully this time around it'll provide better results.
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How much water, do you add?...Glad to see that more and more are having success with my method and I told ya guys and gals that the cotton ball works wonders.
I actually read the cotton ball substitute thing from somebody on the UK mantis forum so the credit goes to him/her (I can't remember Who exactly it was). However, the yield of flies was still pretty small with the substrate he/she had written down... So I tried the cotton balls with my own personal mix and found out that it was waaay better.
BTW, has anybody tried to substitute the mashed potato for porridge oats or something similar?
*I also typed in the wrong ratio of the components of the substrate in one of my previous posts here. I made a new batch today and something didn't match up lol. It's a ratio of 6:1:1 and not 4:1:1.*
LAME
Tenodera sinensis (the one and only)
@Dmina,
usually I mix the oatmeal and potato flakes with hot water until its just a tad runnier than regular mashed potatoes. You don't want it so thin its like water,yet not so thick (clumpy)... I add applesauce brown sugar and regular sugar to mine, then yeast to finish it.
I usually allow mine to sit and "proof" before adding my flies into the feeder container. Maybe just me... But I've noticed alot of deaths if I add the flies in right away, so I wait a few hours before adding them.
Edit: Water usage really depends on how much medium you're actually making. I only make small batches at a time when/if need be.
usually I mix the oatmeal and potato flakes with hot water until its just a tad runnier than regular mashed potatoes. You don't want it so thin its like water,yet not so thick (clumpy)... I add applesauce brown sugar and regular sugar to mine, then yeast to finish it.
I usually allow mine to sit and "proof" before adding my flies into the feeder container. Maybe just me... But I've noticed alot of deaths if I add the flies in right away, so I wait a few hours before adding them.
Edit: Water usage really depends on how much medium you're actually making. I only make small batches at a time when/if need be.
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I actually do this as well. The mix seems to solidify a bit more, and the outer layer seems to "crust" up a bit. It definitely saves many fly lives - even when I used commercial FF food.
Darkrai283
Well-known member
A little more than what I would add to make mashed potato using those flakes so that it's a little runnier. Instead of boiling water in the kettle then adding it to the dry mix (the potato + brown sug + white sug), I microwave it for 30-60 seconds until the mixture 'feels right'.
Right after I take it out of the microwave, I pour the hot mixture into the containers and wait half an hour for the mixture to cool as anything you put on it will sink right down (it solidifies a little once cooled down) . After it cools, I sprinkle a little active, dry yeast on the top to prevent fungal outbreaks before the larvae can produce the anti-fungal substance themselves... then in goes the cotton balls then the flies.
By the time the first few of the larvae have started pupating, the cotton balls on the bottom will have sunk down a little and the volume would have been lost so it's advisable to top the culture up with a few more to give the late-comers a place to pupate in.
BTW, you've got the binoms a tiny bit wrong.
In all bionomial nomenclatures, only the genus is capitalised while the species name, subspecies, etc are all lower case.
So it should be (you can C+P it):
- Tenodera sinensis. [ X ]
- Parasphendale agrionina. [ X ]
- Stagmomantis carolina. [ X ]
- Phyllocrania paradoxa.
- Sphodromantis viridis.
- Hierodula xishaensis.
- Acromantis japonica.
Here's a quote from Wiki:"In modern usage, the first letter of the first part of the name, the genus, is always capitalized in writing, while that of the second part is not, even when derived from a proper noun such as the name of a person or place." - wikipedia
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LAME
Tenodera sinensis (the one and only)
Indeed, I've been aware of that lol just forgot about fixing it... Well good thing I've got a few new ones on the way. Definitely will fix it when they arrive =)
Also, I didn't think about microwaving. Could also set it outside to speed up the cooling process.(assuming you're in a colder zone...)
Also, I didn't think about microwaving. Could also set it outside to speed up the cooling process.(assuming you're in a colder zone...)
