'overwintering' fly pupae

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Dirtmonkey

Dirtmonkey

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Portland, OR
I've trapped some green bottle flies, and want to culture them before the wild ones disappear for the winter. Right now I only have one Mantis, so I don't need a lot of flies at once. I've read about how blue bottle pupae tend to die off in the refrigerator over A short time, but I know these flies overwinter outside for several months. Is there a better way to store them in a refrigerator, so I could breed a bunch all in one go and still keep the pupae viable longer? Higher humidity maybe?

Thanks,

Vincent

 
hibiscusmile said:
That is a good question, I guess if u take some potting soil and plant them in it, than put in freezer, why wouldn't they overwinter?
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Because the low temp would kill them! They overwinter in barns, outhouses, homes, in some cases.

I am now breeding blue bottles on a continuous basis. If you are actually going to breed, them, what are you going to use as an egg laying substrate? I refrigerate the pupae for up to two weeks and get a good yield. I would suggest that you get a lot of pupae and put them in maybe a dozen containers and open one every two weeks. That way, you will be the expert and can tell us!

 
hibiscusmile said:
Well I read they overwinter in the ground Phil, so they freeze?
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Yeah, but i understand that they choose spots that don't freeze, BUT, wanna pop a few in the freezer for a month and see what happens?
rolleyes.gif


 
I do have my bug fridge, so It would be ok, only got some dead frozen bugs in there and lots of cold packs, and u know me, come time to remove them, I will wonder why I put them there? :rolleyes:

 
Well around here the ground rarely freezes more than a couple inches down, so I'm sure they've got plenty of places to go either way. I think I will go ahead and try like that.

And I had already decided to use the dog food based formula you've posted previously, Phil. Thanks for that. (I think it was you, need to go look it up again.)

 

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