Fly Problem

[agent A]

not sure if it's too much moisture

i am keeping ~300 adult bluebottles in a food container with a ventilated lid, and 3 portion cups

1 with pupal casings, 1 with honey, 1 with a wadded up, wet paper towel

some moisture got on the floor of the cage and about 70% of the flies r sluggish and hang out on the bottom of the cage

they r still alive but it's pretty weird

when i put them in the fridge some perk back up

anyone know what is going on and how i can fix it?

thanx

 

[mkayum]

Maybe lower the moisture for a bit. 300 BBFS... O_O

 

[Bryce08]

But yeah I woujld say lower the temp, the lower temp the longer they last anyways.

Maybe lower the moisture for a bit. 300 BBFS... O_O

thats nothing, LoL

 

[patrickfraser]

You do have a fly problem. They are probably overcrowded. If the honey is in an open cup, they are probably sticky sweet and can't move too well. How big is the food container? Got a pic?

 

[Psychobunny]

Mine are always overcrowded!! I use the "cup-O-flies" containers with a hole port cut on the side

for removing the flies.

I give them the powder food mixed with a little honey and a little deli cup of gel water stuff and some

"bug burger" from Repashy (which has a lot of water in it)

I give them a little mist of water when I make my mantis rounds.

So far, no probs with them being over crowded.

I dont keep them in the fridge, they stay at room temp.

 

[hibiscusmile]

all sounds like the problem, overcrowded on that bus A!

 

[agent A]

ok i will get a bigger container for them

thanx all

 

[angelofdeathzz]

Sometimes misting seems to make them sluggish and half dead looking, I only use drops of honey on the deli lid with good results.

 

[Rick]

I just kept them in a 32 oz cup crowded really bad. Fed them nothing but honey. Never had an issue.

 

[dlemmings]

I just kept them in a 32 oz cup crowded really bad. Fed them nothing but honey. Never had an issue.

+1

I tried a couple ways and settled on this.

I "pupate" spikes in one small deli-cup, in another I put pupa in to eclose or hatch, once they do they go into a 32oz delicup with screen lid....a few drops of honey each day.

I feed my mantids from the deli-cup before adding the "freshly hatched" Flys to the older ones.

I have housefly & Blue bottle fly & fruit flies.

when I tried honey and also "misted" the top...it made a sticky mess...dont do this.