Flies - the good, bad and ugly

[killerecho]

So I finally found a reliable source for houseflies. I got a bunch of pupae in 2 sizes, fly food and containers, and hatched them out. I was told to stick the flies in the fridge for 15 minutes before using them because the cold slows them down to a crawl. That worked like a charm - dusting and introducing them to the frog enclosures were not a problem at all. The fun came later, when the flies thawed out and regained their senses.

The thing about flies is that...they can fly - and incredibly well at that. My frogs (3 red eyes, 4 clowns, 1 hourglass, 1 pacific chorus) had mixed results catching them, although they got a much needed workout from trying. In the night I could hear them battering against the glass, no doubt trying to land an elusive meal. They got a few, but many flies were left buzzing around the ceiling of the vivariums. This is a problem, because every time I need to open the door of the tanks to do something like change the water or spot clean, flies would escape. And they are diabolical when it comes to identifying escape opportunities. It didn't help matters that two of my tanks had a little space between the door panel and the bumper hinge. That space was just wide enough for the smaller flies to get out. I've since plugged the space, but not before an untold number of them got loose. So as of last night we had at least a dozen flies at large in the house, which made dinnertime more interesting to say the least. The family is threatening to either disown me and or have me disown my frog hobby, maybe both

Now anyone who has ever kept large numbers of crickets knows that escapes are a fact of life. The good thing about crickets is that 1: they seek out the nearest dark crevice and disappear, 2: they don't invite themselves to your smorgasbord, and 3: they can't fly. Tracking down and swatting escaped houseflies is a pain in the backside. They won't leave the house through the windows because it's 30 degrees out. As I'm writing this, there are still flies circling inside the tanks. I dare not open them until I've sprayed them down and the water droplets keep the flies grounded.

If you can find a way to make it work (tolerant parents, spouses, roomies, what have you, are a must), houseflies are actually a good change of pace in food source. Frogs find flying insects irresistible and their hyperactivity will draw the attention of even the most sedentary individuals. Pursuing them should stimulate activity levels in frogs, which can only be a good thing. I would, however make sure that the vivarium is escape proof first. It would also help if the tank was densely filled with foliage, right up to the ceiling so that no matter where the flies go, they're within a leap away from the frogs or closer. Having frogs that are at least semi-active and alert helps too. My red eyes did not appear up to the task.

A few miscellaneous points: Flies are not particularly nutritious and would not be a good staple food. They should be gutloaded and dusted. Handling a 16 oz. cup filled with hundreds of buzzing houseflies is not for the squeamish. Do whatever business you have with them in a closed bathroom, swatter handy in case of mass escape. Unhatched pupae can be stored in the refrigerator for months. Hatched flies last several weeks with proper care.

[deranged chipmunk]

ironic, i was just reading this article in another forum flightless houseflies
i was freaked out enough about culturing fruit flies, LOL i actually had to culture some for myself to prove to myself (and the bed bully) that they were indeed safe to keep in the house. it definitely was fun trying to explain to the Mrs. that i WANTED to bring bugs into the house. as i am sure each one of us has had that conversation before.....LOL that being said, i wouldn't even DREAM of trying to culture houseflies. all i would need is one momentary lapse of concentration, and i would be moving in with some other frog lover.....LOL but i commend you for pushing that proverbial envelope Brian!!

[findiviglio]

Thanks for the post, brought back memories! Check out Raymond Ditmars' book My Exciting Life with Reptiles, Insects etc....great read, and he describes his first great fly escape; I later repeated the same...also, as a child, collected hundreds of mosquito larvae, thinking I'd discovered "fresh water brine shrimp", and had 30 or so mantid eggcases hatch indoors in December (in NYC). But I use flies to this day, in both zoos and at home. Here's a related article Houseflies and Maggots as Food for Reptiles, Amphibians and Invertebrates That Reptile Blog. Best, Frank

[killerecho]

ironic, i was just reading this article in another forum flightless houseflies
i was freaked out enough about culturing fruit flies, LOL i actually had to culture some for myself to prove to myself (and the bed bully) that they were indeed safe to keep in the house. it definitely was fun trying to explain to the Mrs. that i WANTED to bring bugs into the house. as i am sure each one of us has had that conversation before.....LOL that being said, i wouldn't even DREAM of trying to culture houseflies. all i would need is one momentary lapse of concentration, and i would be moving in with some other frog lover.....LOL but i commend you for pushing that proverbial envelope Brian!!

Tell me about it. So far I've had to explain crickets, worms, fruit flies, bags of "dirt", leaf litter, rocks, bark and driftwood aka trash underneath my bed, and loud squawking at night. A fly outbreak might be the last straw.

Thanks for the post, brought back memories! Check out Raymond Ditmars' book My Exciting Life with Reptiles, Insects etc....great read, and he describes his first great fly escape; I later repeated the same...also, as a child, collected hundreds of mosquito larvae, thinking I'd discovered "fresh water brine shrimp", and had 30 or so mantid eggcases hatch indoors in December (in NYC). But I use flies to this day, in both zoos and at home. Here's a related article Houseflies and Maggots as Food for Reptiles, Amphibians and Invertebrates That Reptile Blog. Best, Frank

Frank, I must credit (blame?) you for this foray into fly territory. I have followed your blog since early 2011 and it was your advice that got me seeking to try houseflies as an alternate food item. I've been trying to locate an affordable source ever since and now I have. Speaking of mosquito larvae, I remember someone bringing a bottle of them to my school and trying to pass them off as tadpoles. I wouldn't mind a plague of mantids in my NY apartment right now; it would take care of my cockroach problem.

[deeishealthy]

I don't even pretend that I have the dexterity and grace to not have a fly release. I will stick to crickets. I, too, applaud you.

[killerecho]

Thanks, Dee. I don't either, that's the problem.

I don't even pretend that I have the dexterity and grace to not have a fly release. I will stick to crickets. I, too, applaud you.