Fruit flies get everywhere. Suggestions?

[Galactic Lord Xenu]

Just opening the container a bunch tend to crawl and fall out. I was wondering if there's a way to slow them down, like does putting them in the fridge for a few minutes slow down their movements?

Also, if some escape... how easily do they survive on their own? They're wingless but I'm not sure how well they can survive on crumbs if they come across any in my carpet. Last thing I want to find is maggots... I know almost nothing about their life cycle.

 

[echostatic]

whack the top and sides of the container before opening so that they fall to the bottom. i keep thumping it while its open so they dont crawl out. i have had almost no escape problems.

 

[OGIGA]

Yeah, keep thumping it. THey don't survive very well outside of their culture. The larvae needs a lot of food and moisture so if you're house is clean, you're fine.

 

[Rick]

I use 32 oz cultures but tap them into a small vial using a funnel. I put the vial into the fridge for a minute to slow them. Or you could try the search feature as this has been discussed before.

 

[Precious]

I use 32 oz cultures but tap them into a small vial using a funnel. I put the vial into the fridge for a minute to slow them. Or you could try the search feature as this has been discussed before.

I put the culture in the fridge (or freezer, be careful!) first, then tap them into the funnel/vial. When I have what I need to feed everybody, I pop the vial into the fridge one more time to knock them out long enough to make my rounds. Poor little flies, go to sleep in their stinky paradise and wake up screaming! Works like a charm.

 

[Andrew]

I shake the flies into a large plastic bag and then put it in the bag in the fridge. Then I dump them into a container and start making the rounds.

 

[Galactic Lord Xenu]

How long can they survive in the fridge? My apartment seems to be a bit too hot and they're reproducing waaay too fast for what I currently need.

 

[Mantis Keeper]

Well you could make it even easier and use the feeder system that mantisfu sells, no need to freeze the flies or anything and I've not had any problems with escapes. It really is a cool system.

 

[thebugwife]

I tap them down and funnel them into a condiment squeeze bottle then do the feeding rounds....But I just made a new feeding system that I'm gonna try.....I glued a piece of tubing to the side of a deli cup before I made a culture in it then clamped it close, I tried this with the bluebottle grubs and we'll see what happens when they're flies :blink:

 

[bsharrah]

For less than you would spend on a soda, you can pick one of these up at Walmart. Use a funnel to put the flies in and then "squirt" them into your enclosure at your leisure. Quick, easy, and rarely do I ever get an escapee. Once everyone is fed, I usually put the cap on and sit it to the side. The flies will live for about 2 days in this, allowing me to have convenient access to more during that time should some of my mantids be hungrier than others.

Bart

 

[OGIGA]

I culture my FFs in water bottles and use a cheap plastic funnel to feed them off. I get a lot of escapes with the 32oz containers, but not that many with these bottles.

 

[meanfoot]

For less than you would spend on a soda, you can pick one of these up at Walmart. Use a funnel to put the flies in and then "squirt" them into your enclosure at your leisure. Quick, easy, and rarely do I ever get an escapee. Once everyone is fed, I usually put the cap on and sit it to the side. The flies will live for about 2 days in this, allowing me to have convenient access to more during that time should some of my mantids be hungrier than others.Bart

Ok I tried this bottle and it works great I make a funnel out of regular paper ,chill the flys ,and then pour into bottle ,and as you stated very few escape ,which is kewl because i lost my fly swatter and the 12 gauge sure messes up the sheetrock ,thanx for this ideal

jim o.

 

[macro junkie]

i have 1pint cups with netting over top..honey and bread in bottom,,and what i done it cut a small hole in side of cup..then tape it,,then because al my mantids are in 1pint cups with a sponge as a stoper in the hole on side all i do is take the sponge out the mantis cup then put the frute fly cup next to it..undo the tape and join the 2 holes up on both cups...when i see enough going frute fly go in to the mantids cup i tape the frute fly cup back up.i mayby get 1 or 2 fly away every now and then but its alot beter this way for me..the loss is very low.

 

[nympho]

Ok I tried this bottle and it works great I make a funnel out of regular paper ,chill the flys ,and then pour into bottle ,and as you stated very few escape ,which is kewl because i lost my fly swatter and the 12 gauge sure messes up the sheetrock ,thanx for this ideal jim o.

for easy capture of escaped flies i made a pooter. essential equipment for anyone with fruit flies in his life. if any ff get away (and they always will) its quite efficient way to capture them. they are usually attracted to the window by the light so no worries if a few get out. its also how i feed the mantids. i release say 50 flies from their culture by a window, then suck them all into the pooter, tap them to one end, take the lid off (i made it from a tiny plastic cake decoration bottle, with tubes sticking out at each end made from ball point pens) and quickly place the open pooter over the hole in top of the mantis cage. fairly hassle free. also useful for capturing wild ones to start cultures

 

[ryan flew]

i remember on a frog forum there was a way to keep friut flies in the tank this may be the solution for everone if your tank is fly proof i am thinking of using it to start with mantids again i want to make a large display tank for like 10 ghost mantids but my dad sais no flies suggestions?

anyway what you do is get a film case and cut a cm square in the rim leaving a full circle at th top.

put the cultering mediam in the bottom and then fill the tank with the string wood stuff

these can be covered up and added to the tank i would suggest making sure the flies were breeding in them and supplying more for the mantids.

i hace never tried it and i think occaisonally the mini culters may have to be cleaned out and started again

 

[macro junkie]

For less than you would spend on a soda, you can pick one of these up at Walmart. Use a funnel to put the flies in and then "squirt" them into your enclosure at your leisure. Quick, easy, and rarely do I ever get an escapee. Once everyone is fed, I usually put the cap on and sit it to the side. The flies will live for about 2 days in this, allowing me to have convenient access to more during that time should some of my mantids be hungrier than others.Bart

i really like this idear but!i dont like the idea of having to get them in there..i was thinking..would there be a way to breed them in there? but fasten the medium down ..mayby a grill or somthing at bottom?sounds hard work but it would make that thing really cool then.

 

[ryan]

i really like this idear but!i dont like the idea of having to get them in there..i was thinking..would there be a way to breed them in there? but fasten the medium down ..mayby a grill or somthing at bottom?sounds hard work but it would make that thing really cool then.

sounds very good if that could happen but im sure problems would arise such as dead flies in the tank

anone like my idea?

 

[macro junkie]

sounds very good if that could happen but im sure problems would arise such as dead flies in the tankanone like my idea?

can u get me a pic?

 

[macro junkie]

thats string wooden stuff seems to get mites..have u found this?u need to look hard there very small..I have 5 cultures..and the one with the sting fiber in has mites.