Phoenix worms question

[VanessaS]

So I purchased way too many Phoenix worms for my little guys and they are all starting to turn black. On the Phoenix worm store website it says that they will turn into solider flys. Has anyone had experience with their Phoenix worms turning into flys? Any advice on how to keep them? I would love to feed off the flys once they emerge ; )

Thx!

 

[nightanole]

Ya they turn brown and then start exploring (also brown explores are the highest calcium ones) then they turn into black pods. At 80f they take about a month or so to turn into flys that last a week or more (no mouth). In my setups i never feed off the worms, just the flies, they are big, active, and make lots of noise.

 

[CLP]

How big are the flies? I've got the worms on order and was thinking of letting some of them turn into flies, but the screen on my enclosure is 1/4" squares. Wondering if they can escape from that size opening?

I've heard they are great flies to feed as they have no mouths so cannot hurt the cham and also there is not the same worry about them eating something that could hurt your cham like other flies could.

 

[DavidBuchan]

Yeah, they are just a great all-round feeder. The flies do have no mouths. No need to feed them! I feed the worms butternut squash which they really seem to like.......... Keep them in the same box as the worms. If it's a really small shallow tub then you can give them a bit more room if you like. They don't usually want to fly around too much though.
They usually won't escape my Wardrariums even though they can, they like buzzing around the uv tubes where chams can easily pick them off.
I think they will probably stay inside 1/4 inch squares but don't quote me on that..........

 

[sandrachameleon]

you could lay a piece of fine screen over your 1/4" screen on those days you feed off flies, if needs be

 

[bifidus]

If you have stronger light in cage than in room, do not worry. Soldier flies (imago) are very attracted to light source and they will stay there. Maximally they will "visit" window and from there you can easily return them back. So it does not be "fly tight" cage. Btw, even my large species (melleri, parsonii) prefer flies to any other food, soft caterpillars to be second (silkworms, etc). They are ready spend hours catching relatively small prey.

 

[VanessaS]

Wow! Great info! Thanks everyone! So, should I take them out of their small plastic containers that they were shipped in? When I open the container they are starting to smell like ammonia. Do I remove them from the sawdust or leave them? Thanks!!!

 

[VanessaS]

Wow! Great info! Thanks everyone! So, should I take them out of their small plastic containers that they were shipped in? When I open the container they are starting to smell like ammonia. Do I remove them from the sawdust or leave them? Thanks!!!

^ Anyone???

 

[GabeCastro]

When they turn black, they pupate.

Once they pupate, The pupa will transform into Black Soldier Flies in about 2 months

I just kept mine at room temp and they eventually turned into flies. They look like wasps, but they're 100% harmless.

Here's a few vids of my cham eating some BSF's:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5_s-ETlyzY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6cTLUDiH3Y

 

[VanessaS]

When they turn black, they pupate.

Once they pupate, The pupa will transform into Black Soldier Flies in about 2 months

I just kept mine at room temp and they eventually turned into flies. They look like wasps, but they're 100% harmless.

Here's a few vids of my cham eating some BSF's:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5_s-ETlyzY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6cTLUDiH3Y

Thank you! But do I take them out of their plastic container in which the worms came in or can the pupae stay in the plastic container? They smell like ammonia when I open it..,

 

[DavidBuchan]

If it's starting to smell I would move them all into a new container or containers (if you have loads you can put some in the fridge for a while, it slows them down and they'll live longer).

Keep it dry (remove dead stuff and old food) and it shouldn't really smell.

 

[VanessaS]

If it's starting to smell I would move them all into a new container or containers (if you have loads you can put some in the fridge for a while, it slows them down and they'll live longer).

Keep it dry (remove dead stuff and old food) and it shouldn't really smell.

Great! Thank you!