CATDOLL : CATDOLL: How to keep flies alive (How to keep flies alive)

How to feed flies?

Fly worms are fly maggots, which are the larvae of houseflies. The body color of fly maggots changes from transparent and milky white to milky yellow until they mature and pupate. Fly maggots have three instars: the first-instar larvae are 1 to 3 mm long and have only the posterior spiracles. After molting, they become the second-instar, 3 to 5 mm long, with anterior spiracles and 2-lobed posterior spiracles. After molting again, they become the third-instar, 5 to 13 mm long, with 3-lobed posterior spiracles. The third-instar larvae are oblong cones, with a pointed front end and a truncated rear end, without eyes or feet. They like to drill holes, are afraid of strong light, and live in dark places away from light all day long. Fly maggots are high in crude protein and crude fat, rich in nutrition, and are an ideal food for forest frogs.

The optimum environment temperature (culture medium temperature) for fly maggots is 34-40℃, and the development period is 3-3.5 days. When the temperature is 25-30℃, the development period is 4-6 days; when the temperature is 20-25℃, the development period is 5-9 days; when the temperature is 16℃, the development period is as long as 17-19 days. The minimum development temperature is 8-12℃, and death occurs when it is higher than 48℃.

The suitable humidity for 1st to 2nd instar maggots is 61% to 80%, and the best humidity is 71% to 80%. The suitable humidity for 3rd instar maggots is 61% to 70%. If the humidity is higher than 80% or lower than 40%, they cannot develop normally, rarely pupate, and may even die.

Air circulation is conducive to the growth and development of maggots. In garbage dumps, maggots are often distributed in corners and wall bases with large gaps. Exhaust fans should be installed in the breeding room, and screens should be installed on the exhaust fans for filtering to prevent flies from escaping from the fan outlet. Doors and windows should be sealed with wire mesh to prevent snakes, rats and other harmful creatures from entering the breeding room.

Fly maggots are omnivorous and like to eat decayed and fermented organic matter. Animal and plant feeds and proteins in microorganisms are all feeds that fly maggots like to eat. When the third-instar fly maggots mature, they stop eating, leave the breeding place, and burrow into the nearby loose soil to pupate.

In artificial breeding, livestock and poultry manure is mainly used as the base material, and fresh is better. Livestock and poultry manure must be fermented before use. Pig manure, chicken manure, tofu dregs, wheat bran, livestock and poultry scraps, etc. can be fermented and used as the base material for fly maggot breeding.

The base material can be mixed according to the following formula: 80% pig manure, 20% wheat bran; 60% pig manure, 40% chicken manure; 75% pig manure, 25% tofu dregs; 100% fresh pig manure; 50% chicken manure, 25% pig manure, 25% tofu dregs. If the manure is too wet, a small amount of wheat bran can be added. According to the existing conditions, see which base material is easy to obtain and low in cost, and prepare it flexibly. Add EM live bacteria to the prepared manure, add 5 kg of EM bacteria per ton, then cover it with plastic film, turn the manure once on the third day, and then add 3 kg of EM bacteria to the manure to make the pH of the manure reach 6.5-7. If the pH is higher than 7, add wine lees and vinegar; if it is lower than 6.5, add lime water. It can be used after fermentation for 2 days. The water content of the base material is about 70%, and it is better to pile it up to 20 cm high without loosening or deformation.

After the base material is fermented, it can be sent to the maggot breeding room to breed fly maggots. A rectangular maggot breeding pool with an area of ​​1.5 square meters can be built in the maggot breeding room. The fermented base material is piled in the pool in a long strip with a thickness of 10 to 15 centimeters. Let the adult flies lay eggs directly on the base material, and cover them slightly with base material or feed after laying eggs to prevent the fly eggs from drying out. When the room temperature is 25 to 35 degrees Celsius, the egg mass will hatch into maggots after eight to ten hours. If the base material is too dry, sprinkle a small amount of water on it. The amount of water added should be appropriate so that the water does not flow out of the manure pile.