Blowflies

Blowflies are among the most practical food sources for many invertebrates. They are a particularly good food source for jumping spiders (FH7 and larger), mantises, and tarantula hatchlings. You can feed both the maggots and the flies that hatch from them later.

One major advantage is how easy they are to store. The maggots can be kept in the refrigerator for several weeks. The low temperature significantly slows down their development. This allows you to take out only as many maggots as you need at any given time.

This is especially handy if you only have a few terrarium pets.

One feed animal—two options

With blowflies, you can decide for yourself whether you want to feed the maggots or the fully developed flies.

To do this, simply use tweezers to remove the desired number of maggots. You can then place them directly into the terrarium.

A hungry jumping spider can already catch the maggot. If it isn’t eaten, the maggot continues to develop. After pupation, a fly eventually emerges, giving your pet another opportunity to hunt.

This makes this feed animal particularly versatile.

Ideal for jumping spiders starting at FH7

Flies are ideal for jumping spiders of size FH7 and larger. These flying prey items appeal to the jumping spider’s strong hunting instinct and also add movement to the terrarium.

The jumping spider can watch its prey, chase it, and finally pounce on it.

This is why blowflies can be easily incorporated into a varied feeding plan, especially for larger Phidippus species.

An excellent choice for mantises, too

Mantises react particularly strongly to moving and flying prey. That is why flies are among the most attractive food sources for many species.

The fly moves through the available space and repeatedly lands on branches, leaves, or other structures. This gives the mantis regular opportunities to demonstrate its characteristic ambush hunting behavior.

At the same time, you can easily measure out the right amount and feed your pet precisely.

Also suitable for tarantula hatchlings

It’s not just jumping spiders and mantises that benefit from this food source. Depending on their size, tarantula hatchlings can also be fed these maggots.

You should always choose a food item that is appropriate for the size of your pet.

Especially for smaller animals, maggots can be a practical alternative to other feed insects.

Store in the refrigerator for several weeks

One of the biggest advantages of blowfly maggots is that they are easy to store.

At low temperatures, their development slows down significantly. That’s why you can store the maggots in the refrigerator for several weeks and take out only the amount you need at a time.

Once removed from the refrigerator, the process resumes at warmer temperatures.

This means you don’t have to feed the entire amount within a few days.

Caring for Newly Hatched Flies

If you don’t want to feed the hatched flies right away, you should provide them with additional energy. Honey or sugar water works particularly well for this.

However, do not offer the liquid in an open dish. A waterer or an absorbent material is better suited, as it allows the flies to drink the liquid without drowning or getting stuck in it. Our magnetic waterer is particularly practical for this purpose.

Thanks to this extra food, the flies stay healthy and active longer. This is especially handy when several flies hatch at the same time and you want to space out their feedings over several meals.

Tip: Always provide only a small amount of honey water or sugar water, and refresh it regularly so it stays fresh and clean.

Practically during molting

Another advantage is how easy it is to use with invertebrates. Even during sensitive phases, blowflies and their maggots do not pose a risk to the animals in our care comparable to that of some larger feed insects.

Molting is a particularly sensitive phase, especially for tarantulas and jumping spiders. For this reason, you should always check which prey animals are still in the terrarium.

Blowflies and their maggots are particularly well-suited for this purpose, since they do not actively attack the animals.

Advantages at a glance

• Ideal for jumping spiders starting at FH7
• Suitable for many mantises
• Can also be used for tarantula hatchlings
• Maggots and adult flies can be used as feed
• Can be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks
• Simple and Precise Dosage
• Development is slowed by cooling
• Promotes natural hunting behavior in jumping spiders and mantises
• Hatchling flies can be fed honey or sugar
• Easy to remove with tweezers
• Very convenient for owners with just a few animals

The Right Accessories for Your Live Feed Animals

Magnetic Feeders – allow you to safely provide newly hatched blowflies with honey or sugar water without them drowning in an open container of liquid.
BraPlast container with gauze lid —ideal for rearing and feeding newly hatched blowflies; the large gauze surface ensures good ventilation.
Feeding hatch for BraPlast containers —makes it easier for you to remove individual flies one at a time without having to open the entire lid every time.
Feeding tweezers —allow you to carefully remove individual maggots from the package and place them precisely in the terrarium. Your own gold fly description recommends them specifically for this purpose.
Repto Cricket Shaker – makes it easy to evenly dust live feed with a suitable vitamin or mineral powder before feeding.
Arcadia EarthPro RevitaliseD3 – suitable for the targeted application of minerals and vitamins to feed animals before they are fed.

Conclusion

Blowflies are especially convenient because a single food source offers you several options. The maggots can be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks and removed one at a time. You can feed them directly or let them develop into flies.

This provides a simple and easily portioned food source, especially for jumping spiders (FH7 and larger), mantises, and tarantula hatchlings.

And once the maggots have turned into flies, you can feed them honey or sugar and then use them as targeted feed. This means that blowflies are among the feed animals that will last you a long time, even with a small number of animals.