Make sure to ASK her first which towel she doesn't mind you using!Any kind of absorbent cloth will do, like a dish towel or a hand towel that you thought your mum was about to throw out!
My guys always pick my good/favorite ones to ruin! :angry: 
Housefly maggot harvesting
- Thread starter mantidian
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My guys always pick my good/favorite ones to ruin! :angry: 
mantidian
Well-known member
Okay this may be a stupid question...but what do the adults eat? and the maggot media?
PhilinYuma
Well-known member
It's not. The larval food is 2 parts warm water to one part crushed dog food. I now use Superfreak's method of simmering it in the water to soften the pellets and then run it through a food processor (though as Katt says, ask your mum!), which is easier than crushing to pulverize the dry pellets. Mix in some untreated wood chips if you can find them and sprinkle a few grains of yeast on top.
I use a mixture of powdered buttermilk and sugar, though almost anything would do so long as it is dry, so as not to catch or drown the flies (they aren't very smart). It is important to spread a thin loyer over as wide an area (e.g. 8oz [250cc] pot,) as possible because the flies' saliva quiickly reduces it to a solid chunk. It is also important to have a source of moisture in the enclosure that the flies can't drown in. a sponge, or a small pot with sphagnum moss in it.
When I use the 32 oz pot method, I harvest the flies shortly after eclosure, so I don't have to feed them.
Dave, do you have the elusive URL for the bucket method?
PhilinYuma
Well-known member
Thanks, Katt! Had you noticed that you can't print more than the first page with the Print command? You would have to use a photo capture applet and copy that.
Nope... didn't try to print it. I've got it saved to my Google notebook.... just in case I ever lose my sense of smell and want to really get down and dirty.
mantidian
Well-known member
Thanks!
Saw the method and I think its great! only thing I don't understand...the sleeve part. How to you place it?
PhilinYuma
Well-known member
I used a sleeve cut off a heavy old sweater. I used epoxy cement to secure the 4" pipe in the hole in the bucket because it is space filling and glued the cut end of the sleeve onto the pipe. You put your arm though the sleeve to put in or take out water and food pots or to capture flies, and tie off the sleeve when it is not being used.
mantidian
Well-known member
Okay thanks!
jacksun
Well-known member
What's the problem with buying feminine protection products? They are great for sport inflicted nose bleeds too. And what does the "protection" thing mean anyway?What's the big deal about buying panty hose?
Hehehe!!
jacksun
Well-known member
Bucket, breeding kit, raw meat......I go to my local bait shop, buy maggots. Throw a weeks supply of the maggots (weeks supply equals number of flies you need for feeding for a week) in a pot with a vented lid, and the sawdust they come in. Place the pot in a warm area (80 - 90 degrees) and in about 3 days all maggots are pupated (no food needed). Remove as much sawdust as possible, dump a weeks supply of pupa into ziplock baggies, date them, throw them in the fridge. Repeat weekly to maintain supply.
You can buy a months worth of maggots at a time, separate them into ziplock bags with about a 1 weeks supply, and the ones you don't need right now throw in the fridge, where they will keep for 3-4 weeks. When ready pull out a bag, and see above for pupating process.
Pupated flies hatch in about 5 days once out of the fridge, take out needed amount of pupae from ziplock in fridge, throw one or two pupae into mantis habitat every day or second day, flies hatch about 5 days later, mantis eats. No need to mess with feeding flies, trying to catch them to feed your mantis, the stink of raw, rotting meat, and minimal mess (sawdust).
My 2 cents worth on flies.
You can buy a months worth of maggots at a time, separate them into ziplock bags with about a 1 weeks supply, and the ones you don't need right now throw in the fridge, where they will keep for 3-4 weeks. When ready pull out a bag, and see above for pupating process.
Pupated flies hatch in about 5 days once out of the fridge, take out needed amount of pupae from ziplock in fridge, throw one or two pupae into mantis habitat every day or second day, flies hatch about 5 days later, mantis eats. No need to mess with feeding flies, trying to catch them to feed your mantis, the stink of raw, rotting meat, and minimal mess (sawdust).
My 2 cents worth on flies.
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Protection for clothes, upholstery, etc., and from a big mess, odor, and embarrassment!
I suppose you could use them as nose plugs to help filter and negate the nasty smells of breeding and harvesting houseflies too. B) However this application would likely not protect you from embarrassment should anyone see you.
