Magots for food

[E Orix]

Bush Fly Maggots
They are possibly the largest % of live food I feed out. During the breeding season I feed out half a plastic bucket full each day.
I breed them from 2 fly boxes similar to the one pictured. Once your system is worked out it is prolific live food producer
During winter I close one colony down and slow the other down, all excess aresimply feed out.
The fly box looks good but I would make one change, I would add a second light bulb holder and globe. The reason being that if one globe blows then the other will produce enough warmth until the blown globe can be replaced.
Also the new fluo globes are useless for fly boxes as they do not produce any warmth.

[gomer]

will have to do that grenadier.I suppose i could wire up another globe through the other

[Mickp]

here is a link to an article by Marcus Pollard

http://www.finchsociety.org/cfa/livefood/flies.htm

[Pete Sara]

hey gomer just piggy back it from the other. it works for me but i need to build a second box my chats love the pupae . i found an easy way of seperating the pupae from the mix by placing the mix in water when most turned to pupae. the pupae float and the spent bran and other crap sink to the bottom allowing you to siv the goodies of the top . its amazing what you can learn from watching kids tv.......pete

[E Orix]

Globes for your fly box.
There is going to be a problem shortly with regard buying the normal incandecent globes.
The old style globes have been replaced by the new fluo types and the powers to be have said it is illegal to import the old style for sale. This is ok I guess to have a cheaper form of lighting but the new globes are totally useless to be put in fly boxes, the flies do not want a bright light to assist in reading the paper. The globes are where the warmth comes from. Once access to globes has gone then far more expensive alternatives will be required. A couple of 40 watt globes are fine if you can get them. Over the last couple of months I have been locating and buying them for the future and they are now hard to locate but I have a couple of years supply there for now.
Personally my fly boxes are just about the most important produces of live food for my collection and having no access to fly maggots would not be good.

[gomer]

I have a daylight extender.Not yet installed.I will be buy a couple off hundred incadesant globes for that.

[gomer]

well got my fly pupae things today.put them in the fly box,put in some water and a sugar cube.now what?when do i put in the bran and powder mix?when do i take the bran out?

[Pete Sara]

hi gomer. when the flies start to hatch place in your milk and bran mix. flies have about a ten day life cycle. dont forget to put back some pupae or else you will be back to square one in no time. i place my bran mix in ice cream or large marg containers after 2 days i take it out and add it to a pollard and milk mix( i find it easier to sive the maggots and pupae out later)in a larger container like a kitty litter box. kept on top of the box where it s warm. once the yucky stripe is out of the maggots usually when some have started to pupate there ready to feed out. the first attempts will be trial and error , fingers crossed....pete

[gomer]

thanks pete.I will be looking for help as i progress.So if you do mind keep your ears open.

[Pete Sara]

okey dokey....