Fruit Fly Issues?

[CJ's Exotics]

Hello! I have a question, with some of my hydei cultures, there is this weird thing that happens occasionally, where there is a ton of maggots and some pupae, but then, overnight, they are start grouping together, and die. It is so weird, it is not like they ran out of food. Any ideas? Thank you!

 

[CJ's Exotics]

 

[Fiona's Mom]

Is there excelsior in your cups...I can't tell by pictures?

 

[CJ's Exotics]

Is there excelsior in your cups...I can't tell by pictures?

There is, but it almost pushed down sort of, it was weird.

 

[Fiona's Mom]

There is, but it almost pushed down sort of, it was weird.

I would put more in...the fruit fly need something to climb on to keep from getting stuck in the food.

 

[Andee]

I don't use excelsior, it's pricey, just get some spaghnum moss ^^

 

[CJ's Exotics]

I would put more in...the fruit fly need something to climb on to keep from getting stuck in the food.

There was plenty in there, like I said, it was almost "pushed" down. I had a more recent one in there that still had the excelsior not pushed down yet.

 

[Andee]

How much of a food source you have?

 

[CJ's Exotics]

How much of a food source you have?

For that culture, I believe it was 1/3 cup media. I have more recent photos of other "weird" cultures if you would like (where I changed it up).

 

[Fireborn]

By golly I have never seen that many worms on the sides. I know some people use coffee filters instead of the other stuff.

 

[Matt Vanilla Gorilla]

Your medium might be too wet. As they crawl all over the lid they might leave medium deposits over the breathin holes thus cutting off their own air supply! If the medium was dryer they would not explore that far away from the medeum.