[WONTON SALLY]

I have these extra large pupa in one of my cultures, does it have any significance?

 

[billschwinn]

They are very likely winged and flying flies. You won't know until they hatch. At that point you may have to toss the culture.

 

[Ed]

It is also possible that they are from phorid flies infesting the container.

Ed

 

[cjelley]

I agree, most likely looks like winged flys, I've had the same issue myself.

 

[Neontra]

Yes, they are probably winged flies. A week ago I had fliers and didn't know after I closely inspected the culture. Before that I fed a few fliers to my frog. Are there any health issues?

 

[billschwinn]

Yes, they are probably winged flies. A week ago I had fliers and didn't know after I closely inspected the culture. Before that I fed a few fliers to my frog. Are there any health issues?

Just yours when there are so many you inhale them and they fly into your food and drinks.

 

[Grrrit]

last week i had found a culture that was booming with flying flies. what a waste. lol

 

[WONTON SALLY]

there are a few fliers in there indeed. the culture is close to 3weeks old. is it ok to feed from it or just scrap it?

anyway to pinpoint how this happened?

 

[WONTON SALLY]

It is also possible that they are from phorid flies infesting the container.

Ed

ED, they are running across the culture-2 of them. they have a very big abdomen or butt-not sure what you call it.

 

[WONTON SALLY]

opened the lid and away they went just the 2 winged fliers.

 

[Neontra]

You better hope they haven't mated with the others...

 

[Ed]

ED, they are running across the culture-2 of them. they have a very big abdomen or butt-not sure what you call it.

If they were running more quickly than the fruit flies then they were probably phorid flies .
If you go to this site and scroll down there are some comparative pictures of the phorid fly that most commonly gets into cultures. The Scorpion Fauna - The "Enemies and Diseases" gallery

I freeze any cultures that phorid get into as they get into other things as well (like eggs or scratches), food (nothing like eating dinner and having one of those land on the food and start running around) as a simple precaution. There may be more in the culture as they will lay eggs through small holes in the lid.

If you google up phorid and look at the sort of things they normally inhabit, you'll see why they can be a problem. (they are a reason I stopped purchasing Zoophobas as I was getting them with the worms that had died before shipment.

Ed

 

[WONTON SALLY]

i destroyed the culture.

will all the pupa be that large?

reason i ask, i want to catch them in the culture before they take over so i can destroy it.

 

[Ed]

As with melanogaster, the size can be different depending on how much food is available for the larva. In a high nutrient enviroment, the pupae will be large like those pupae.

Ed

 

[WONTON SALLY]

thanks again ED!!!!