Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Red commercial larvae
Posted by
Isidro on 22-10-2007 13:54
#1
The subject sound strange, but it's the case. These Diptera larvae are sold in pet shops for feed reptiles, etc and in sport shops for fishing. I never saw it in the wild. I caught them in a house of a friend that breed reptiles, for feed my Libelloides larvae. Each larva sizes about 7-8 mm and now I have all in pupae. I'm waiting the born of the adults.
Someone can help me to ID?
Thanks
Posted by
Kahis on 22-10-2007 14:12
#2
I think some sarcophagid species are reared for this purpose. The red colour comes from an artificial dye in the food; it is not a natural property of the species.
If you use the larvae as food for pets, you should probably buy white, ie. uncoloured larvae.
#3
I've seen them sold for fishing bait, and they can be coloured yellow, green, blue and even flourescent colours too. They also come in various flavours - aniseed, vanilla, caramel - yum, yum!
Most of the ones I've seen have been
Calliphora, rather than
Sarcophaga.
Posted by
Isidro on 22-10-2007 14:43
#4
Ohhhhhh
I think that the striking colour are natural to the species... but I would like to see fluorescent larvae
The pupae are slighly smaller than the ones that I've seen from Calliphora. I wait the adult born... and then I could identify...
#5
go to a cave, Isidro... you will see lots of fluorescent larvae.
Posted by
Isidro on 26-10-2007 14:37
#6
The first fly was born. So, I have Lucilia larvae.
#7
to eat? Bueno.. bueno..
Que aproveche la cena.
#8
Kahis wrote:
I think some sarcophagid species are reared for this purpose. The red colour comes from an artificial dye in the food; it is not a natural property of the species.
If you use the larvae as food for pets, you should probably buy white, ie. uncoloured larvae.
sarcophagids dont tend to produce enough offspring to be "comercially viable" it tends to be calliphorids, i wouldnt recomend them as myasis is a very real possiblity!