How to - Flies

[Miss Lily]

I managed to catch some flies in the garden shed today thinking they would make great feeders for my baby Jackson who is arriving next weekend. However, now I have them trapped in a cricket tub I'm not sure what to do with them! There are always a few trapped in the shed which could be quite convenient for me, lol! How do I go about breeding them and what do I feed them and the maggots should I get any? Maybe I'll just be better off buying fly casters online, but free food has a certain appeal!

 

[sandrachameleon]

A piece of raw meat or lump of canned cat food for the flies to lay eggs on, set next to or ontop of a wet sponge.

I believe a medium for the maggots can be something like:
1 part dry powdered buttermilk, 1 part powdered sugar, 1 part potatoe flake, 1 part liquid canned milk, 1 part water, along with a dash of fish flake food. With onionbag or coffee filters as something to crawl up onto to pupate.

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/food-feeding/40719-musca-domestica-house-fly-rearing-container.html
http://web.archive.org/web/20070327093611/http://www.adcham.com/html/insects/insects-fly-rearing.html
http://www.critterzone.com/magazineresource/house-fly-flies-Musca-domestica.htm
http://www.jangala.co.uk/Curly%20winged%20fly%20culture%20webpage.htm

 

[Miss Lily]

Thank you for that info Sandra!

 

[dartfrog]

Hi Tiff,
i feed my adult flies on a mix of crushed fruit mainly banana & nectarine, skimmed milk powder & a tiny pinch of calcium powder if you put them in the fridge before feeding it will slow them down so you dont get so many escapees lol. Ive never fed wild flies i know they are supposed to be very nutritious but i always worry about what toxins & parrasites they may have.
Bet your really excited about getting your new baby ive another month to wait for mine, going to be a long one i think!
Take care
Heatherxxx

 

[sandrachameleon]

Thank you for that info Sandra!

you're welcome
let us know how things go for your fly adventures