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Post by ellen687 on Dec 29, 2005 10:25:17 GMT -5
I had burst of growth when fungus gnats emerged from the soil of another plant nearby. I had to stop this. But what other smallest live bugs can be easily obtainable or grown easily in home? Easy to grow, easy to feed - may be Drosofila or Daphnia or anything else; any reference how to do that, pitfalls?
I tried foliar fertilizing for smallest Neps and Sarrs, and fish food (granules and mashed flakes) for 6+ months old Sarrs - last is messy and more difficult than self-feeding on live bugs. Also chopped brown pine needles can be added to the substrate - over or mixed into; tried on Sarrs in LF Sphagnum, white fuzzy mold appeared two days later.
Your experience?
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Post by Syble on Dec 29, 2005 15:39:30 GMT -5
for very small bugs, many people use wingless fruit flies. I do think I will pick some up next time I go to get crickets for the frogs. anything much smaller will likely drive you insane! As it will be hard to administer. What was the problem with the fungus gnats? I only have a few as they get caught regularly, they don't seam to cause my collection any harm. Sib
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Post by ellen687 on Dec 30, 2005 9:13:48 GMT -5
Lots of aphids on the same plant. Moved pot outside to freeze them out.
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Post by zac on Dec 30, 2005 23:06:38 GMT -5
HAHAHAHA. I breed fruit flies *taps fingers together menacingly*!!!
I take a 2L pop container, drink the contents, and place a chopped banana peel inside. I then place it in my kitchen window and within a week I have 100+ flies. I then place the bottle in my freezer and kill the suckers. They are then ready for feeding.
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Post by ellen687 on Jan 2, 2006 9:36:03 GMT -5
Goooood! Will it work in the winter, or summer only?
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Post by bubblebrain00 on Jan 4, 2006 2:14:06 GMT -5
Fungus Gnats cover my D.Alba! I seem to have so much of them flying around the window, so I decide to put my alba there. Soon it was covered my gnats and the plant loves it. They seem to be a little dumb, they fly on the same leaf as their dead friends and die too , well (Good 4 ME and my alba ;D)
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Post by zac on Jan 4, 2006 11:19:46 GMT -5
Goooood! Will it work in the winter, or summer only? It works best in summer so I usually stock up for the winter but i have been able to get some to come if the bottle is placed somewhere warm with lots of light but the air needs to be fresh so no terrariums. I find my fireplace windowsill works but I don't know how others will fare.
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Post by Syble on Jan 4, 2006 11:59:13 GMT -5
fungus gnats are natoriusly bad fliers, poor sighted and yet they prolificate! I have a healthy population on my stand, they feed the dews nicely! Sib
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Post by ellen687 on Jan 5, 2006 10:02:08 GMT -5
Are you freezing them for several months, how to reduce space they will occupy, will self-defrosting freezer be useable? Thanks.
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