How I feed house flies to my mantids

[ABbuggin]

How many times have you fed house flies or bluebottle flies to you mantids, but manage to loose several by the time your done? Are you tired of hearing you parents or spouse complain about the constant "buzzing" throughout the house? Are you tired of being blamed for every loose fly in the house, even when you know it is not your fly and came in from outside? Tired of killing you flies in the freezer because you forgot to take them out? Getting sick of waiting 30 minutes for them to chill in the fridge? Well, I have the solution for you.

Not sure what to call it, but it is made of a 16oz deli cup, the lid has been cut out and has a smoothie lid glued to the top, and the end of a pill bottle glued to the top of the smoothie lid with a foam stopper in it. When I want to get some flies, I simply remove the foam stopper, and place a vial on top. The flies crawl right on in by themselves. I'm sure that doesn't make a bit of sense, so here are some pics: B)

Here it is. Notice the 16oz cup, smoothie lid, and pill bottle bottom all glued together.

Top view. I use a foam plug to keep the flies it.

Here it is with the vial on top.

Notice all the flies inside after just 15 seconds.

Once the vial fills up, I place a thin plastic disk (cup bottom) between the two to prevent the flies from flying out the bottom container. As long as the vial is upside down, the flies will not fly out. Once I remove the vial, I put a foam stopper in it.

While I am busy using the flies that I just collected, I put another "fly cartridge" (ha ha) on the container to fill up while I feed my mantids.

Once the flies are in the vial, I angle to foam to allow the flies to crawl beside it.

Once the flies are beside the foam, I straighten it out trapping the flies. There is not enough pressure here to kill them.

Continued........

 

[ABbuggin]

I then slowly pull the foam out which brings the fly with it. Once the fly is barely pulled out, I grab it.

Once I have the fly in hand, I then toss it into my deli cups which have a hole cut out on top (plugged with a foam stopper).

5 seconds later, dead. lol

If you have left over flies in the vial here's how I transfer them:

I get the fly container and replace the foam stopper with the plastic disk.

I then place the vial on top (upside down) on the fly container. Remember, as long as the vial is upside down, they dont fly out.

I then invert the whole thing and the flies walk back into their "cup".

End result.

Continued........

 

[ABbuggin]

Now, I also made a transfer cup for hatching pupae in. It allows newly emerged flies to transfer themselves into the fly cup.

Sort of the same deal as above, but the bottle top is smaller in diameter than the pill bottle end.

When I transfer these, I remove the foam stopper, and place the plastic disk on top.

I then place my fly cup upside down (remember again, they wont fly out the bottom of it when it is upside down) and they walk right on in. This usually takes a little longer since they dont fly as well. Just set it up as pictured before you leave for work/school and they will be ready for you when you get home. B)

That's it, let me know what you think. If you have any questions let me know.

 

[beckyl92]

your a genious!

 

[d17oug18]

wow thats like en-genius lol, i wish i was that creative. that was the coolest idea ive ever seen!

 

[a1_collection]

I feed by dumping a few in a relatively good size food container. The container is sprayed with water on the walls and floor so when the flies slower climb up I just pick them off from the wall. These aer flight less though.

 

[Katnapper]

Nice solution, great work modifying the cups, and cool explanation with pics, AB!

 

[ABbuggin]

I feed by dumping a few in a relatively good size food container. The container is sprayed with water on the walls and floor so when the flies slower climb up I just pick them off from the wall. These aer flight less though.

Thanks guys.

Yeah, flightless are not a problem, I've been trying to figure something out for the flying ones for ever. It popped into my head yesterday lol. Also, I put honey in the original fly cup (the one with the pill bottle end) so that they gut load while they wait. I have not used it on bluebottles yet, but I dont see why it wouldn't work with them. I actually think it will work better with bluebottle (they fly more).

I will agree that when feeding a group of mantids, chilling flies is best (just dump them all in). What I came up with is the solution for feeding several individual mantids without have to rush to feed them all before the flies warm up! :lol:

 

[Rick]

I just take the 32 oz cup with the flies and place in the freezer. I set the timer for a few mins and when they come out use a long pair of tweezers to pick up the dormant flies and place them into the mantid enclosure. I don't lose any. The timer prevents me from forgetting them in the freezer.

 

[worldofmantis]

ur next task is cancer go now..

 

[Emile.Wilson]

I just take the 32 oz cup with the flies and place in the freezer. I set the timer for a few mins and when they come out use a long pair of tweezers to pick up the dormant flies and place them into the mantid enclosure. I don't lose any. The timer prevents me from forgetting them in the freezer.

i do the same thing

 

[bassist]

I just take the 32 oz cup with the flies and place in the freezer. I set the timer for a few mins and when they come out use a long pair of tweezers to pick up the dormant flies and place them into the mantid enclosure. I don't lose any. The timer prevents me from forgetting them in the freezer.

Works for me as well. :>

 

[hibiscusmile]

pretty neat, we will do anything to make things easier :lol: . I use the fruit fly bottle, the mouth of it is 1 1/2" about and fits into the containers, cause thats the size hole I drill and when I Put the pupae in there the flies hatch, either house or bbs and the pupae stays down in the second chamber and the flies are in the top chamber and I just use my fingers in one hand to hold bottle and remove lid and pop a few flies in, done again :lol:

 

[inferno]

thats just smart.

 

[OGIGA]

You can do the same thing with a water bottle instead of a deli cup+vial.