Fruit Fly Cup: Melanogaster
Melanogaster are the smaller of the two fruit flies we carry, about 2 mm, roughly half the size of hydei. Each cup is a live, producing culture of flightless fruit flies, so they can't fly away and you get new flies hatching for weeks. They're the go-to first food for tiny eaters: dart frog froglets, thumbnail dart frogs, baby mantids, spiderlings and other small insect-eaters.
Tips from our team:
- Pick the right fly for your animal. Once your animal is eating these easily, our hydei cups are the next size up.
- Keep the culture at room temperature, about 70–80°F.
- Dust before feeding. Tap some flies into a cup with a pinch of calcium or vitamin powder, swirl gently and pour them in.
- Keep the lid on between feedings. They're flightless, but they can still climb out.
- They build up fast. Melanogaster go from egg to adult in about 2 weeks, so a healthy culture stays busy.
Item can not be shipped. Local delivery or pick-up only.
