Does anyone have any experience with Condylostylus species?

AAO

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 24, 2019
Messages
55
These neat little flies are everywhere in Florida and I’m very interested in keeping a breeding population if possible. Does anyone have any experience caring for these or other long-legged flies?
 

Salmonsaladsandwich

Arachnolord
Joined
Jul 28, 2016
Messages
633
I've never heard of anyone keeping long legged flies, but considering their habits I imagine that adults could be maintained easily enough if fed fruit flies and perhaps given a basking light.

Not sure about the larvae, but they're apparently soil-dwelling and predatory so if you got adults to oviposit I suppose they would be maintained in a moist substrate and you could experiment with different prey items. Might be tough if they turn out to be cannibalistic
 

AAO

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 24, 2019
Messages
55
I've never heard of anyone keeping long legged flies, but considering their habits I imagine that adults could be maintained easily enough if fed fruit flies and perhaps given a basking light.

Not sure about the larvae, but they're apparently soil-dwelling and predatory so if you got adults to oviposit I suppose they would be maintained in a moist substrate and you could experiment with different prey items. Might be tough if they turn out to be cannibalistic
Ah I hadn’t thought of the larvae possibly being cannibalistic. I know the adults are pretty friendly, even amongst other species of the same genus. I wonder if isopods would work as prey items. Or maybe springtails. Any idea what enclosure size would be needed for say, 10 adults? The only real reference I have for Diptera is my fruit fly colony, which is obviously packed like sardines unfortunately.
 

Albireo Wulfbooper

Arachnoprince
Joined
Aug 1, 2019
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1,606
I have no advice, but if you manage to get a breeding colony going, you must post ALL THE PHOTOS. I adore Condys :happy:
 

pannaking22

Arachnoemperor
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 25, 2011
Messages
4,226
A few scoops of soil from a pesticide free area may help with the larvae, but of course there's the question of what else is coming in with it. It'd be an interesting experiment to try to get this genus established, good luck!
 

AAO

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 24, 2019
Messages
55
A few scoops of soil from a pesticide free area may help with the larvae, but of course there's the question of what else is coming in with it. It'd be an interesting experiment to try to get this genus established, good luck!
Thank you! We’ve got sand-soil here, so I can probably bake it :D
 
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