Flies in my enlcosures????

Octa

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 15, 2011
Messages
57
Hey guys

I just found another fly flying around in my C elagans enclosure.
Just the other day I found one in my G pulchra's deli cup (removed it and replaced the substrate).

It just flies out of the substrate???? What the hell are those ? :(
 

Octa

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 15, 2011
Messages
57
Do you remove food bolus after feeding?
Yeah I remove everything I can.
Just my C.elegans drags the food into her burrow and I can't take it out.
But she appears to have eaten everything I can give her.
 

8by8

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 17, 2009
Messages
233
What kind of fly is it? House flys usually like nasty stuff, like old food and poop. Fruit flies like the samething but I find like more humidity. Maybe dry your habitats out a bit.

Out of curiosity, do you have a T. blondi? The wild caughts are knowen to have scuttle flies infestations.
 

Octa

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 15, 2011
Messages
57
No i dont have T. Blondi :(.
I get rid of all the left overs but keep the enclosures always humid.
This is just to ensure that the slings have enough water to drink from if needed.
So it could be fruit flies?
 

Poxicator

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 16, 2007
Messages
354
Fruit flies are merely a visible nuisance but if you dry the substrate out you'll likely rid yourself of them, for the timebeing.
Phorid flies are a different matter. These are often called scuttle flies as they prefer to scuttle away rather than fly, they're also referred to as hunchbacks for obvious reasons. Phorids produce maggots that eat any dead matter and they can be a threat to your Ts.
Neither are remedied by Isopods but Ive recently looked into defensive mites to rid myself of these menaces. Unfortunately I had to rid myself of an AF P. regalis last nt that the Phorid larvae were munching on.
 

esotericman

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 15, 2004
Messages
298
Phorid flies are also called many other things since they show up on dead bodies and outhouses. They'll eat and breed on anything, and are a pain to get rid of if you don't keep things cleaned up. There are a few thousand species, and some are directly a threat and others are just annoying.

Also, you might google fungus gnats, they show up when conditions are wet enough, but are easily dealt with by drying out the enclosure.
 

johnloz

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 15, 2011
Messages
6
to prevent those fruit flies just remove the food if uneaten, or just being killed by the tarantula...they easily atracted to the scent of a dead feeders
 

LV-426

Arachnobaron
Joined
Sep 26, 2010
Messages
497
i have flies in my enclosures also. If they are tiny little grayish flies, dont worry about them i think they are attracted to the moisture in the enclosures. I think they are mentioned in the TKG, they are harmless.
 

Octa

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 15, 2011
Messages
57
I let the substrate dry out and dont seem to see anything flying around in there anymore :)
 

Blackbeard

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 1, 2010
Messages
17
I let the substrate dry out and dont seem to see anything flying around in there anymore :)
I kept many enclosures fairly humed and last summer I had a huge problem with intensely annoying tiny black flies zooming around the room.
The little bastards made it a habbit to zip to and fro right in front of my eyes as if they were simply out to irritate me.
Switching to dry enclosures except for a weekly spray on the glass of the arboreals fixed it for me.
My horned frog enclosure is the only one that still has the occasional mite, fly or baby cricket outbreak but nothing serious.

Get rid of the moisture, get rid of the flies.
 

Nerri1029

Chief Cook n Bottlewasher
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 29, 2004
Messages
1,725
Phorid flies are also called many other things since they show up on dead bodies and outhouses. They'll eat and breed on anything, and are a pain to get rid of if you don't keep things cleaned up. There are a few thousand species, and some are directly a threat and others are just annoying.

Also, you might google fungus gnats, they show up when conditions are wet enough, but are easily dealt with by drying out the enclosure.
I lost a sling to Phorid flies.
 
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esotericman

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 15, 2004
Messages
298
Nerri,

Do you have a thread on this? I am curious about the "parasitic" species, which I have heard about, but luckily have never seen. Phorid flies are the same group which are being used as a biocontrol for fire ants, so the groups ability to kill is well documented. Sadly, the identification of the species is completely impossible except for a tiny handful of insane entomologists.

Was this case a WC or did you have an introduction from native phorids? Any other losses?

Nice darkfield by the way.
 
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esotericman

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 15, 2004
Messages
298
Thank you Nerri, I will read the thread. Maggots or pupae that eventually kill a tarantula sounds a bit odd, but I will read your posts.

Having read it, yes, post molt would make perfect sense.

Phorid flies have been known to colonize and feed on children who are left in dirty diapers. This is an extreme case of myiasis in humans, but a newly emerged tarantula is similar, it is a food resource and is soft.

I detest phorid flies.
 
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