Will keeping my blue bottle flies in the fridge help them live longer?

[MajorManny]

I’m sorry if this sounds like a stupid question, but I’m really uncertain as to what the answer is. I keep the unhatched pupae in the fridge, of course, but I was wondering if, like mealworms, you can just keep blue bottles in the fridge with their food and water until I’m taking them out to feed my mantises or taking out the container to hatch more pupae in.

Thank you so much!

 

[LAME]

They'll last a little bit, But will eventually die... 

 

[Rick]

Yes. I've done this but I've found they live quite a long time when left at room temperature and fed honey. 

 

[MajorManny]

Thank you! I've had them live a week like that, but I've heard they can live up to ten days and I just wanted to make sure that there wasn't another way to make them live even longer.

 

[hibiscusmile]

I keep mine a week at most, after that they really have a loss of nutrician as they cannot eat in the fridge, they need time out to warm up and feed, then put back in.

 

[Deacon]

Rick, how do you offer honey to flies and they don't get stuck in it?

 

[guapoalto049]

Put an upside down lid in (~3" diameter) and soak a piece of paper towel with honey, then do the same with another lid but soak it with water. Lots of surface area and no drowning.