Fruit Fly Funnel

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lectricblueyes

lectricblueyes

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 13, 2009
Messages
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Location
Chicago, IL 60609
Hey there! When I went on a mantid shopping spree last night I had stopped at the hardware store for a glue-gun, exact-o knife and a few other things. While searching for my stuff I happen to notice some small plastic funnels which gave me an idea. So, I bought a set of them for $2.49. It came with 3 different sized funnels. They are clear, plastic, and very slick. I don't have a picture but found one online that looks similar:

3008-plastic-funnel-set-of-3-original.jpg


or

funnel-small_1.jpg


After making feeder/water mist holes in the tops of my 12oz deli cups, I decided to give it a shot.

Well, I put the little funnel in the little hole. It stood up nice and straight in the top hole :)

Next, I tapped my fruit fly 32oz cup on the desk and they all went crazy as usual.

I pealed back the lid of the fruit fly cup just a little bit, aimed over the top of the funnel and 3 fruit flies came flying out of the top of the cup and dropped right into the funnel.

They slid right into the nyphs home and walla. All done

My thing is... I have some pretty big fingers and it's very hard to catch the fruit flies, pinch them without killing them and then dropping them into the little hole without missing. The funnel made it very easy and I was amazed at how easily they slid right down that funnel. I did all 7 of my cups in less than 5 minutes and only a couple of times the fruit flies caught onto the side of the funnel. That was easily fixed by simply tapping on the funnel with my finger until he let go and entered the enclosure of doom!

Just my little tip. :) Thanks.

 
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Good job, Lectric! :D That's what you aim for... something that works for you! ;)

PS... You should have went to the Dollar store first... they sell those 3 pack of funnels for just a buck! :p

 
Katnapper said:
Good job, Lectric! :D That's what you aim for... something that works for you! ;) PS... You should have went to the Dollar store first... they sell those 3 pack of funnels for just a buck! :p
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Ummm... liiikeee whatever! Like, my funnels are totally Gucci. They were designed by like, Italian.. fashion people and like.. mine are soooo HOT. Get away with your dollar funnels, oh my god freak!

:p :p

 
LectricBlueyes said:
Ummm... liiikeee whatever! Like, my funnels are totally Gucci. They were designed by like, Italian.. fashion people and like.. mine are soooo HOT. Get away with your dollar funnels, oh my god freak! :p :p
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LOL... Hey, actually I found the best containers for modifying into mantis keeping containers there! They also have empty spray bottles (water for misting), and lots of other odds & ends I've found really useful in this hobby! All at a great price... :D So don't come whining to me when you're broke and out on the street with your mantids... begging for a Big Mac and a cricket! :p

 
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Katnapper said:
LOL... Hey, actually I found the best containers for modifying into mantis keeping containers there! They also have empty spray bottles (water for misting), and lots of other odds & ends I've found really useful in this hobby! All at a great price... :D So don't come whining to me when you're broke and out on the street with your mantids... begging for a Big Mac and a cricket! :p
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I have a Dollar-Store directly next to my grocery store in a mini-mall. I was looking for some scented candles for a dinner date at my place at the grocery store. They wanted $3.99 for some vanilla/lavender candles! After leaving the store with my food, minus the candles. I dropped my bags off in the car and shot into the dollar store just to check it out. They had a huge selection of candles and wouldn't you know it, they had lavender and vanilla candles. I bought a few of each scent... 6 candles, $6 bucks. Most important, she was impressed :) Ever since then, I'm more than happy to check things out in there. Haven't been in there since I inherited my mantis habit. I'll have to check it out!

 
LectricBlueyes said:
I have a Dollar-Store directly next to my grocery store in a mini-mall. I was looking for some scented candles for a dinner date at my place at the grocery store. They wanted $3.99 for some vanilla/lavender candles! After leaving the store with my food, minus the candles. I dropped my bags off in the car and shot into the dollar store just to check it out. They had a huge selection of candles and wouldn't you know it, they had lavender and vanilla candles. I bought a few of each scent... 6 candles, $6 bucks. Most important, she was impressed :) Ever since then, I'm more than happy to check things out in there. Haven't been in there since I inherited my mantis habit. I'll have to check it out!
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Men.... :rolleyes: Dollar Store candles = impressing the ladies and saving money too! :eek: :D Incentive of maybe getting some is more proof than just listening to reason. :wacko:

 
Wasn't this my idea? <_< I could swear I've brought this up in every fruit fly thread ever created here. This is the reason I also put a hole in the side of the fruit fly vial cup. Too hard to crack open the lid on that one. This is also the reason I first funnel them into a fruit fly VIAL because the vial is much easier to use to distribute from compared to the 32 oz fruit fly culture. Some might ask why don't I just culture the flies in the vials and the answer would be that I used to but the bigger containers last much longer and produce way more flies. So it adds a second step when feeding.

 
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Rick said:
Wasn't this my idea? <_<
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No, it's written in the Praying Mantids Keeping Aliens handbook which predates this forum by quite a few years. While I think the idea was unknowingly recycled it's possible it was convergent depending on the origin or copying of the feeding hole idea (they go hand in hand).

 
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Katnapper said:
... begging for a Big Mac and a cricket! :p
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:lol: funny stuff...

I still use the FlyHose for hydei, because I find they still seem to like to run up the funnel and *banzai!* jump off the lip if I'm not working fast enough.

I've gone back to the funnel for melanogasters, because most will fall right in, and can't seem to make it to the rim of the funnel even if I don't tap it.

When I'm using the funnel, I put it in the top feeder hole. Tap the melano container until there are no flies on the lid or sides. Remove the entire lid. Tap flies into funnel with FF container about horizontal. Quickly tap FF container base on counter and replace lid. For me, this requires a funnel that fits the feeder hole snugly, so that it will not topple the mantis tub.

For one or two escapees, I use the foam plug to let them crawl up. If there are more escapees, I usually kill them with a tissue.

 
haha, not me, u might be bigger! a woos maybe but definately not a sissi! hahaha, no some people just dont like blood and guts, got my grandaughter to help make cultures and shipping sunday,; and she was killing the escaped prionisorers with her fingers too! I need spell check! ain't downloading this week though! ;)

 
Orin said:
No, it's written in the Praying Mantids Keeping Aliens handbook which predates this forum by quite a few years. While I think the idea was unknowingly recycled it's possible it was convergent depending on the origin or copying of the feeding hole idea (they go hand in hand).
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Mean't I told him about it the other day. I started doing this on my own before ever hearing about it elsewhere. I know I am not the person who first thought of it though.

 
kamakiri said:
:lol: You callin' me a sissy? :p I kill all sorts of things with my hands and fingers but the red from their eyes honestly bothers me a bit. I will 'stun' with my fingers...
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You are all wimps in my book. Bunch of sissies. I open my mouth, stick out my tongue and SLURP, right into the ole mouth and down the hatch. What's good for the mantid is good for me. You should see me with the mealworms and house flies. Mmmm... dinner is served best alive!!

 
My question is about how many fruit flies per nymph? How do you make sure only that many go into the funnel

 

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