Large fruit fly

Large fruit fly – Ideal live food for hungry terrarium inhabitants

The large fruit fly (Drosophila hydei) is a flightless breeding form and is one of the most popular food animals for medium-sized to small terrarium inhabitants. With a body length of around 3 mm, it is significantly larger than the small fruit fly ( Drosophila melanogaster) and is therefore ideal for animals that prefer slightly larger prey but are still sensitive to overly large food animals – such as adult jumping spiders, young praying mantises, small geckos, frogs or young birds raised by humans.

The special thing about the large fruit fly is its active movement. Even though it cannot fly, its active running around creates a natural hunting instinct in most terrarium animals. Their robust size also makes them a nutritious and varied addition to the diet.

In husbandry Drosophila hydei very uncomplicated. It can be easily propagated in special breeding tanks with a nutrient-rich substrate. At temperatures around 22-25 °C, the animals develop in around 12-16 days from egg laying to the finished fly. With well-organized breeding, a continuous supply of fresh live food is easy to implement.

In addition to feeding, the large fruit fly is also often used in breeding projects, research and school projects, as its development is easy to observe and it poses no risk of escaping or reproducing uncontrollably.

Whether as the main food for smaller hunters or as a varied addition to the diet – the large fruit fly is easy to handle, has good nutritional values and is suitable for a wide range of animal species.