I have to state first that I work on this between real experiments.
My measurements are in exact, and I record no data, I don't even know the dates these things have been run.
Because insects are not animals I work in the Plant Science building. But the field jeep is parked on the other side of the Animal Science building. During the whole month of Oct every time I walked by the dumpster at the Animal Science building I noted the large swarm of flies (the area around the Animal Science building had smelled like a tannery since late Aug).
During this whole time Phil's and others' ideas for breeding house flies ran through my head. Eventually I collected a bunch and set out.
I actually collected flies on 3 occasions, over two weeks. So most of the first batch was still alive when the 3rd batch was added. I did not feed or water these flies other than a small bit of honey sometimes.
The medium was made by boiling water in the microwave, adding dogfood and the microwaving it again. Then I stirred in some flaxseed oil and sprinkled yeast on top. This was done in a small batch - a container of about 4 oz. I actually botched the microwaving part a number of times because the container was small and boiled over - yuk.
The maggots took a while, but they were there. Eventually I transferred this, with more wet dog food (less the other ingredients) to a quart canning jar (I use a lot of canning jars) capped with a filter paper (this was a mistake, mesh is better).
It developed well enough, never molded, and produced many pupae. I collected them one sunday, returning the rest of the maggots and food back to the jar. But while there were many maggots remaining, they never produced any more pupae. I believe this is because the filter paper did not breath well enough, and once I collect the pupae I ignored the jar. I believe that because I was previously opening it daily the anaerobic gases were not building up as much.
I have since been working with the flies that have come from that first round. I do not know if there are multiple species of black house fly involved. There are certainly some green flies and a few other odd balls. The green ones have been some of the last to emerge.
This time I have been feeding (sugar and protein powder), watering (wet paper towel- twice daily), and giving honey. Still, the flies only seem to live about 2 weeks. I just started my 4th jar of dog food medium.
The first two were as above except starting right with the jar and a larger volume. I have to take these apart this weekend - but no maggots have been spotted. These two jars are also somewhat moldy.
The third (and now 4th) jar include a fistful of bark mulch as Phil suggested. They also have been constantly on heat pads. There is a heat pad under the fly cage that the jar sits on, and there is a heat pad on the top shelf where the maggot rearing happens. Both produced some mold, but have also produced maggots quite well, who seem to be reducing the mold. The third jar is already producing pupae.
There is a stick in the jar when it is in the fly cage for better access.
I put a balled up piece of wax paper in the jar when it goes to the top shelf for the maggots to climb if they have a problem. I fold up the bottom of the paper loosely, then I twist the paper loosely. The very first batch had many many in that pocket and easy to collect. However, I did have to dismantle the medium to get at more than 25% of them who were not in the wax paper or easy to spill out by over turning the jar.
That is my lazily execution of Phil's Dogfood/Housefly culture. I consider it a success. I am not convinced of a need for methyparaben. But will have to see how further generations go in regards to the mold.
My measurements are in exact, and I record no data, I don't even know the dates these things have been run.
Because insects are not animals I work in the Plant Science building. But the field jeep is parked on the other side of the Animal Science building. During the whole month of Oct every time I walked by the dumpster at the Animal Science building I noted the large swarm of flies (the area around the Animal Science building had smelled like a tannery since late Aug).
During this whole time Phil's and others' ideas for breeding house flies ran through my head. Eventually I collected a bunch and set out.
I actually collected flies on 3 occasions, over two weeks. So most of the first batch was still alive when the 3rd batch was added. I did not feed or water these flies other than a small bit of honey sometimes.
The medium was made by boiling water in the microwave, adding dogfood and the microwaving it again. Then I stirred in some flaxseed oil and sprinkled yeast on top. This was done in a small batch - a container of about 4 oz. I actually botched the microwaving part a number of times because the container was small and boiled over - yuk.
The maggots took a while, but they were there. Eventually I transferred this, with more wet dog food (less the other ingredients) to a quart canning jar (I use a lot of canning jars) capped with a filter paper (this was a mistake, mesh is better).
It developed well enough, never molded, and produced many pupae. I collected them one sunday, returning the rest of the maggots and food back to the jar. But while there were many maggots remaining, they never produced any more pupae. I believe this is because the filter paper did not breath well enough, and once I collect the pupae I ignored the jar. I believe that because I was previously opening it daily the anaerobic gases were not building up as much.
I have since been working with the flies that have come from that first round. I do not know if there are multiple species of black house fly involved. There are certainly some green flies and a few other odd balls. The green ones have been some of the last to emerge.
This time I have been feeding (sugar and protein powder), watering (wet paper towel- twice daily), and giving honey. Still, the flies only seem to live about 2 weeks. I just started my 4th jar of dog food medium.
The first two were as above except starting right with the jar and a larger volume. I have to take these apart this weekend - but no maggots have been spotted. These two jars are also somewhat moldy.
The third (and now 4th) jar include a fistful of bark mulch as Phil suggested. They also have been constantly on heat pads. There is a heat pad under the fly cage that the jar sits on, and there is a heat pad on the top shelf where the maggot rearing happens. Both produced some mold, but have also produced maggots quite well, who seem to be reducing the mold. The third jar is already producing pupae.
There is a stick in the jar when it is in the fly cage for better access.
I put a balled up piece of wax paper in the jar when it goes to the top shelf for the maggots to climb if they have a problem. I fold up the bottom of the paper loosely, then I twist the paper loosely. The very first batch had many many in that pocket and easy to collect. However, I did have to dismantle the medium to get at more than 25% of them who were not in the wax paper or easy to spill out by over turning the jar.
That is my lazily execution of Phil's Dogfood/Housefly culture. I consider it a success. I am not convinced of a need for methyparaben. But will have to see how further generations go in regards to the mold.
)
