paddythemic
Well-known member
Very cool. I like the single serving and nonrefrigeration aspects!
House Fly Technique
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You guys have the strangest ways of doing this. I know I sound like a broken record but it seems everybody wants to do it the hard way. You guys talking about water dishes, spoons, taking one fly out at a time are crazy. They don't need water or anything fancy. Just a squirt of honey everyday. If flies were as much trouble as you people make it out to be I would have left this hobby a long time ago. I guess i'll just sit here and shake my head at the craziness that is this thread. 
LauraMG
Well-known member
:lol: I picture Rick as an old man with his arms crossed and shaking his head at "kids these days". Ha! However, that being said, I use 2 cups, put pupae in one to hatch, slap it in the fridge when I'm ready, let 'em sit until there's a good amount on the lid, then switch the lids and go freezer bound with the catch. They wake up too quickly out of the fridge, but a minute in the freezer and they're all out until everyone's fed. And I use honeyYou guys have the strangest ways of doing this. I know I sound like a broken record but it seems everybody wants to do it the hard way. You guys talking about water dishes, spoons, taking one fly out at a time are crazy. They don't need water or anything fancy. Just a squirt of honey everyday. If flies were as much trouble as you people make it out to be I would have left this hobby a long time ago. I guess i'll just sit here and shake my head at the craziness that is this thread.
Ghostie
Well-known member
I don't need to take out any more than one fly at a time when I only have one mantis per cup.
Accept for in my gongy cage then I just open the fly cup lid and let a bunch out into the net cage.
A 12x12 net cage full of house flies sounds like a nightmare to me.
I had not heard anything about feeding them honey until now.
Being new has it's drawbacks..
Accept for in my gongy cage then I just open the fly cup lid and let a bunch out into the net cage.
A 12x12 net cage full of house flies sounds like a nightmare to me.
I had not heard anything about feeding them honey until now.
Being new has it's drawbacks..
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paddythemic
Well-known member
The 12x12 net is indeed a nightmare. I like your method because my girlfriend will have puppies if I put live flies in the fridge or freezer.
Therefore - I need a good method to move flies from the container to the habitat.
I also agree that the woodchips and water et al is too much of a hassle. Simpler is best.
angelofdeathzz
Well-known member
No water? I always see the flies drinking the water... and munching down the pollen honey mix! If the flies are hydrated then I know my Gongys are getting water content that they won't drink on there own, since they never drink at all.You guys have the strangest ways of doing this. I know I sound like a broken record but it seems everybody wants to do it the hard way. You guys talking about water dishes, spoons, taking one fly out at a time are crazy. They don't need water or anything fancy. Just a squirt of honey everyday. If flies were as much trouble as you people make it out to be I would have left this hobby a long time ago. I guess i'll just sit here and shake my head at the craziness that is this thread.
I never said they didn't drink water. I am saying you don't need to give them seperate water and food. They can get water from their food. It would take far too long to get one fly out of cup at a time by the method posted. I prefer to just put what I need into the freezer to slow them down and then stand in front of my enclosures and pick the flies out with long tweezers.No water? I always see the flies drinking the water... and munching down the pollen honey mix! If the flies are hydrated then I know my Gongys are getting water content that they won't drink on there own, since they never drink at all.
And Laura, I am not old, just efficient.
Ghostie
Well-known member
If you have a cup of 50-100 flies, one pops out the hole into the transfer cup within seconds.
I don't imagine it would be much faster to wait for them to get cold lethargic then dish them out one at a time.
I don't like flies in my fridge anyways. Pupae is bad enough. :lol:
"More than one way to skin a cat."
If what we do is way harder than how you do it, it shows our dedication.
I don't imagine it would be much faster to wait for them to get cold lethargic then dish them out one at a time.
I don't like flies in my fridge anyways. Pupae is bad enough. :lol:
"More than one way to skin a cat."
If what we do is way harder than how you do it, it shows our dedication.
LauraMG
Well-known member
Oh, I know! Just the mental picture I get
Thing is, I'm the same way. I want as few steps as possible and as much simplicity as possible.The good ole mental picture you get of people on message boards. I know what you mean.Oh, I know! Just the mental picture I get
Reminds me of an acronym we had in the military; KISS. Keep it Simple Stupid.
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angelofdeathzz
Well-known member
wow, now I think me and Ghostie were just called stupid! this is not the military its just mantid talk, not everybody is the same in there ways nor should they be. Isn't beind right 99% of the time enough for you or does it have to be 100%, I know your the administrator and part time sheriff but come on your words are almost always so belittling and boarderline insulting. yes you have way more mantis knowlegde than most of us but in my opinion you could light'n up alittle, not try'n to pee in your koolaid just speaking my mind .
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Precarious
Well-known member
All yall peoplez is crazy! I just open all my windows and smear dog poop on the walls. I then let the mantids loose so they can eat the flies.
If you do it any other way you should seek psychiatric help because you are wasting time and energy. If you don't like dog poop on the walls you should find another hobby, loser. :wacko:
But seriously, everyone has their own methods. There is no one right way since we all have different numbers of pets, etc. Do what works best for you and your situation.
Personally, I don't deal with pupae at all. I put a 32 oz. deli cup over some dog manure swarming with flies. The flies fly up, I lift the cup and slide the lid on. No joke, I catch 15-30 bb flies at a time with this method. Works like a charm.
:wub:
I then dip a bamboo skewer into organic unfiltered honey, slip it under the lid and deposit the honey on the underside. You can do this in advance too. I just blow in the opening and the flies stay clear. I feed the flies this way once a day and mist with water once or twice a day. They can last a long time on honey and water. I load them up with good food for at least a day before feeding to my mantids.
I keep the cups upside down on a paper towel so the frass doesn't built up in the cup and so any excess water drains out so the flies don't drown.
And that's that. Refrigerate and distribute as needed.
That's what works best for me. If you don't like it do it your own way! :angry:
( Hey, you kids! Get off my lawn! That's MY dog poop! > :wheelchair:
If you do it any other way you should seek psychiatric help because you are wasting time and energy. If you don't like dog poop on the walls you should find another hobby, loser. :wacko:
But seriously, everyone has their own methods. There is no one right way since we all have different numbers of pets, etc. Do what works best for you and your situation.
Personally, I don't deal with pupae at all. I put a 32 oz. deli cup over some dog manure swarming with flies. The flies fly up, I lift the cup and slide the lid on. No joke, I catch 15-30 bb flies at a time with this method. Works like a charm.
:wub: I then dip a bamboo skewer into organic unfiltered honey, slip it under the lid and deposit the honey on the underside. You can do this in advance too. I just blow in the opening and the flies stay clear. I feed the flies this way once a day and mist with water once or twice a day. They can last a long time on honey and water. I load them up with good food for at least a day before feeding to my mantids.
I keep the cups upside down on a paper towel so the frass doesn't built up in the cup and so any excess water drains out so the flies don't drown.
And that's that. Refrigerate and distribute as needed.
That's what works best for me. If you don't like it do it your own way! :angry:
( Hey, you kids! Get off my lawn! That's MY dog poop! > :wheelchair:
paddythemic
Well-known member
How long before you guys give up on a room-temp batch of pupae that doesn't hatch?
