maggots...yuck

[warpdrive]

Hi everyone,

so today along with some painted lady cocoons I got some BB fly maggots.
I wanted the spikes so I can keep them in the fridge and just feed off slowly over time.
sadly, I didn't get the spikes, and was wondering if there is any way to keep them from turning into flys real quickly, as I realy don't need 100 flys in a few days.

can I keep them in the fridge? if so, for how long?

Harry

 

[laurie]

Harry did I order the wrong thing for you? I am sorry, I thought I ordered the spike. If it happens that all 100 hatch at once just divide them up between your gang. Your 6 six chameleons will be able to polish off 100 flies very, very quickly. Be sure to take pictures.

 

[pssh]

They didn't arrive as spikes? I sent them as spikes and put an ice pack in there. I can Try sending some more if you'd like? It'd be priority, but from a different shipment of spikes, and since they would be by themselves I'll put a lot of ice packs.

 

[warpdrive]

you ordered nothing wrong that I know of.
sure, I'll have 6 happy chams in a few days, but this was ordered just for the babies as I think some butterflys, horns, and HUGE male ROACHIES are enough for the big guys for now.

BIG YUCK, I just fed Splat a huge Dubia.

Harry

 

[pssh]

The males freak me out they skitter differently.

 

[warpdrive]

They didn't arrive as spikes? I sent them as spikes and put an ice pack in there. I can Try sending some more if you'd like? It'd be priority, but from a different shipment of spikes, and since they would be by themselves I'll put a lot of ice packs.

they arived in the creapy crawler stage...far better then in the FLY stage.
everything was packed well and I want to thank you for doing such a great job.
I gata see how my next check turns out...but I'll be thinking of ordering more flys soon, as I would like to have something in the fridge waiting to be used.

well I gata run out and get a few more tubs and stuff at the store for all the new creatures.
(I tend to treat my feeders like pets until they get fed off)

Harry

 

[pssh]

So they were larvae and not pupae? Larvae (spikes) can be kept in the fridge for up to 1.5-2 months to prevent pupation. Just pull as many as you need out and let them pupate and turn into flies. The trick is setting out enough in advance so that you don't run out of flies. Unless it doesn't matter of course

 

[tkilgour]

Harry are you confused? The maggots/larva/spikes do not turn into flies right away. Usually, the transformation takes about a week. You can keep the larva in the fridge for 2 months. The pupae about 2 weeks. BBflies are my favorite feeder.

 

[warpdrive]

So they were larvae and not pupae? Larvae (spikes) can be kept in the fridge for up to 1.5-2 months to prevent pupation. Just pull as many as you need out and let them pupate and turn into flies. The trick is setting out enough in advance so that you don't run out of flies. Unless it doesn't matter of course

Harry are you confused? The maggots/larva/spikes do not turn into flies right away. Usually, the transformation takes about a week. You can keep the larva in the fridge for 2 months. The pupae about 2 weeks. BBflies are my favorite feeder.

they are clearly the pupae or maggot stage...looks like small phynix worms.
not the hard, cocoon like stage, AKA spikes.

again, it's no big deal.

so Tom, I can keep maybe half of them in the fridge for a week or two?
I truely would like to postpone some of them from turning into flys in a week or two...say in the same spot as I keep my butterworms?

Harry

 

[pssh]

Larvae are the maggot/worm stage. They are referred to as spikes. They keep longer in the fridge that way. You can allow the to pupate and turn into the brown rice shaped things. Those are pupae. The pupae turn into flies.

Spikes(maggot) --> pupae(cocoon things) --> blue bottle flies(adult stage)

 

[tkilgour]

they are clearly the pupae or maggot stage...looks like small phynix worms.
not the hard, cocoon like stage, AKA spikes.

again, it's no big deal.

so Tom, I can keep maybe half of them in the fridge for a week or two?
I truely would like to postpone some of them from turning into flys in a week or two...say in the same spot as I keep my butterworms?

Harry

Harry, if they are the cream colored maggots,(aka spikes/larva) they will keep for about 2 months. If they are dark brown colored, then you have pupae and they will turn to flies quick. However, you can keep them in the fridge for about 2 weeks.

Larvae are the maggot/worm stage. They are referred to as spikes. They keep longer in the fridge that way. You can allow the to pupate and turn into the brown rice shaped things. Those are pupae. The pupae turn into flies.

Spikes(maggot) --> pupae(cocoon things) --> blue bottle flies(adult stage)

I couldn't have said better.

 

[warpdrive]

thank you both.
it does seem like I had it backwords.

I feel so silly as this is not my first time with flys and should know better.

Harry