Where can I purchase housefly maggots?

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Rick,

Do the maggots keep in the refrigerator for 3 weeks like grubco says, and is it better to get the individual containers for pulling out what you need rather than "spooning" out of a 1,000 count container?

Thanks for the response,

Nick Barta

 
Yen,

I think you are correct on Oregon Feeder Insects feeding the flies a higher level of food. Skip, the owner is a supplier to scientific research facilities, and is passionate about the care of his stock. He even takes the time to mix pupae in various stages of developement so that you have more even hatch rates. Skip started the term "feeder insects" and was the first that many others still copy.

 
I had problems with my Grubco maggot substrate molding (blue dusty) after a couple weeks in the fridge. This caused the maggots to pupate and then I had poor hatch rates.

This batch I left the maggots out at room temp until they pupated and then put them in the fridge. I separated some maggots into a container without substrate and put them in the fridge straight off.

We'll see what happens.

 
Nick, Chuck (Spiderpharm) also feed the flies with some good food too,but my guess is not as good as the food (in boosting the flies size) compared to Skip's feed. Are you sure Skip is still selling at $2 per 1000 pupa?

Perry, i let the spike (grubs) turn into pupa with the substrate (dust saw like mateiral), but i roll the container once a while so that not all the pupa will stick together which hampered hatching rate. After that, I separate the pupa from substrate (dust saw like mateiral) and leave it in the fridge, they can last for 3 weeks. The hatching rate for of these blue bottle flies been always good for me.

 
Rick,Do the maggots keep in the refrigerator for 3 weeks like grubco says, and is it better to get the individual containers for pulling out what you need rather than "spooning" out of a 1,000 count container?

Thanks for the response,

Nick Barta
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Yeah they keep fine. I normally buy two 500 count containers. They actually last longer than 3 weeks for me at least.

 
I'll also say that keeping the maggots and pupae in substrate increases survival and hatch rates. I used coco coir(coconut fibers) and put in a container of dry catfood in case they got hungry.

When I'd recieve my order of maggots, I used to just keep them in the bag they came in at room temp, but a huge amount die (75-90%). Now it's substrate.

 
Thanks for the suggestions. Any other methods of storing the maggots are welcome too.
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Leave them how they are shipped to you and in the fridge.

 
OREGONFEEDERINSECTS.COM UPDATE ON INFO!!!!!! The pricing on 1,000 housefly pupae is $5.00/ounce plus $5.85 shipping for a total of $10.85. For two ounces it is $4.50/ounce plus $5.85 shipping for a total of $14.85. The shipping is 2nd day, and larger quantities will reduce your per ounce price.

Yen, the website is being updated, and has some incorrect info, so the best way to order is from 10:00a.m. to 2:00p.m. Monday through Friday, by calling 1-866-641-8938. Sorry for the wrong information.

 
1000 count from grubco is $14.50 shipped just for a comparison.

 
i would also like to add that by gutloading them w/ honey, not only are they more nutritious, they also live a lot longer. i've kept both houseflies and bluebottles alive in the fridge alive for over 2 weeks.

 
i would also like to add that by gutloading them w/ honey, not only are they more nutritious, they also live a lot longer. i've kept both houseflies and bluebottles alive in the fridge alive for over 2 weeks.
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I feed the flies honey but nothign for the maggots since they are inactive while in the fridge. I don't put the flies in the fridge though.

 
I tried a slice of banana and there are maggots all over it now. And yes, it does smell like banana when I open the container.

 
Rick, do you have the pupa and honey water together in the mantis cage? I can never feed the mantis without finding any escape flies if i don't fridge them.

 
are there any british based sites that sell fruit flies and such?...if not where can i get a hold of them plz.
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If you can't find a UK site, just visit any college/university with a genetics lab. Almost certainly, you will find Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies there for genetics studies. They will be happy to let you have a jar of adults and you can then breed those for your own purposes.

Anthony

 
The flies from Spiderpharm are indeed houseflies (rather than blue bottles). After they eclose, their abdomen is pretty big and is dull white-yellowish in color. The houseflies I catch from outside have flat abdomens. Some houseflies that I catch from outside are tiny! I don't know if they are even houseflies, but they are about half the size (or smaller) of the ones that I got from Spiderpharm. And yes, I'm sure they are not fruit flies.

 

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