Culturing drain flies?

[Scythemantis]

So I've heard of people raising drain flies as feeders, but I just want a pet colony. I love them! Having collected several however, I've yet to have any success. I've been trying to introduce them to large containers with a thin layer of water and organic detritus on the bottom, but they actually die fairly quickly and I've seen no larvae.

I can find no care sheets whatsoever....has anyone else done it?

 

[mantiscatamp]

and i thought me liking moths was weird

 

[Scythemantis]

Flies are my favorite animals, but most are too messy and difficult to culture. I wish I could easily culture one that looks like your typical fly, but moth flies are also very cute.

 

[Albireo Wulfbooper]

I adore moth flies! They're so cute

I have no idea how they are best reared, but I would assume a well-ventilated container with some rotting plant matter, water, and some places to land would probably do the trick if you started with mature males and females. I suppose knowing whether you had those to begin with would be key!

 

[schmiggle]

If you moved into my dorm at college the bathroom would rear them for you.

Is there any chance you could find larvae? I'm wondering if your issue might be that you're finding unmated adults, and I haven't the slightest on how to get these guys to mate (though I'd guess it isn't that hard).

 

[schmiggle]

Flies are my favorite animals, but most are too messy and difficult to culture. I wish I could easily culture one that looks like your typical fly, but moth flies are also very cute.

Also, with regards to this point--you might be able to culture tachinid flies, though of course for that to work you would also need a culture of the host animal.

 

[TheOnlyScout]

I love moth flies! They are so cute!

I've never tried to keep them, but they don't seem to live for very long once they're adults.
My guesses based on where I've seen them would be that they like high humidity and darkness.
My train of thought is thus: if I wanted to start a culture I'd first set a standpipe with a few inches of water in it in my crawlspace. Just a foot long piece of 2-3" PVC pipe with a base that holds it up. I know they propagate there because my tub drain came disconnected once and they got all in my bathroom.
For keeping them? Maybe an enclosure similar to a dart frog? Lots of dark tubes half full of water, leaf litter, something on the back for them to land on, keep it pretty dark, high humidity?
Now, again, I've never had them, but that's what I would try. Maybe it'll work, maybe not.

I'm reading about them and it sounds like they like either really slow-moving water or stagnant water.
"As with most gnats, the larval drain flies need moisture. They can live most anywhere that water accumulates for a week or more. Common indoor sites include the fine slime layer that develops along the water surface in infrequently used toilet bowls and tanks, in sink or floor drains in basements or garages, or drain pans under refrigerators. Sometimes the gray, wriggling larvae can be seen swimming in the water. These areas need to be cleaned thoroughly with attention to removing surface films."

Maybe your water was just too fresh?