help..its the 2nd bag of casters iv watsed in 2 weeks.

[macro junkie]

i need your help..im buying maggots,,im then leaving them out till there casters,,,i then put them in my fridge which is 3c.i go in there today to get a few casters out and the hole box is hatched?its the 2nd bag iv wasted in 2 weeks.now i have about 600 flys i have to bin..its annoying me..could the reason be because i didnt put them in the fridge early enough..mayby when they turned to caster i didnt put them in the fridge that day..?is 3c cold enough to stop them hatch?

 

[macro junkie]

any one?

 

[Rob Byatt]

Hmmm.

In theory they should not be hatching if all the information you have given is correct.

They should last for WEEKS at that temperature.

 

[macro junkie]

Hmmm.In theory they should not be hatching if all the information you have given is correct.

They should last for WEEKS at that temperature.

i dont get it either?..if i remember rightly i left them to go to casters,mayby i left them bit longer than i should of but i know for a fact that when i put them in fridge there where all casters..i dont get it..only guess is the fridge has been open and closed at got warmer than it should..god knows..

What temps do u recomend i keep my next tub of casters at?is 3c ok?or to cold?

 

[Rick]

You should keep them in the fridge as maggots and take them out to turn into casters. Leave the casters out until they hatch. I am pretty sure I have mentioned that before.

 

[macro junkie]

You should keep them in the fridge as maggots and take them out to turn into casters. Leave the casters out until they hatch. I am pretty sure I have mentioned that before.

ok thanks rick.il do that today.

 

[Rob Byatt]

It depends on how you want to do it really. The way that Rick suggests will give a fairly constant time from when they are taken out of the fridge to when they hatch. However, I like to store them as castors because after about 3 weeks they hatch within 2-3 days of removing them from the fridge.

 

[Christian]

It works only with Lucilia properly. Calliphora pupae also hatch in the fridge after a certain time. You cannot keep them "forever" in the fridge. This works with Lucilia maggots only. I usually keep the maggots in the fridge and remove them in order to pupate at room temperature. However, after 2 or three weeks all my Calliphora in the fridge have pupated. They hatch then after just 2-3 days at room temperature. For longer storage better use Lucilia.

Lucilia: pinky flies

Calliphora: blue bottle flies

 

[yen_saw]

I keep blue bottle maggots at near 0C. They last for about a month. ANy longer than a month, the maggots start to turn darker in color and die, instead of turning into pupa.