Live food for dummies

How are the cultures coming along? The mozzies are dwindling here now as we enter into Autumn...so I'm going to be brave and try the grindel worms (😱) they honestly give me heebie jeebies though...
 
How are the cultures coming along? The mozzies are dwindling here now as we enter into Autumn...so I'm going to be brave and try the grindel worms (😱) they honestly give me heebie jeebies though...
you should live here, we have mozzies all year round :(
 
you should live here, we have mozzies all year round :(
I lived in South Africa for a time and the mozzies there are brutal as well 😖 a very hot and very humid climate was bad enough without the constant itching
 
South Africa ! ? ! ? Wow !
I was blessed to be born there 😁 we go back now and then to visit the rest of the family but I'm pretty British by now. My genes are a lovely mix of German, Hungarian, Dutch, French and Irish 😅 a real 'pavement special'
 
How are the cultures coming along? The mozzies are dwindling here now as we enter into Autumn...so I'm going to be brave and try the grindel worms (😱) they honestly give me heebie jeebies though...
My mosquitos are still ok in one container. I tried an experiment in the other. I saw a video on YouTube where a guy had a culture in a covered bucket with holes in the side. He put a banana peel and almond leaves in the water. He got a ton of larvae. I tried the same thing and got nothing. So I think I'm going to go back to old tank water with a mesh bag of grass clippings.
 
I browse Facebook aquarium groups. One guy swore that adding a cup of milk to his mosquito culture really helped. NGL, that also sounds like it could turn disgusting pretty quickly.
 
I browse Facebook aquarium groups. One guy swore that adding a cup of milk to his mosquito culture really helped. NGL, that also sounds like it could turn disgusting pretty quickly.
The added milk promotes bacterial growth . You don’t need much . I put a half teaspoon in my two quart paramecium cultures as the paramecium are bacteriovores . I don’t know what if anything that mosquito larvae feed on . If it isn’t bacteria then the milk must be to make the culture stink a bit as an attractant in the same way that grass clippings or straw works when added to the culture . Not sure about that , just a guess going by a few things I’ve read .
 
The added milk promotes bacterial growth . You don’t need much . I put a half teaspoon in my two quart paramecium cultures as the paramecium are bacteriovores . I don’t know what if anything that mosquito larvae feed on . If it isn’t bacteria then the milk must be to make the culture stink a bit as an attractant in the same way that grass clippings or straw works when added to the culture . Not sure about that , just a guess going by a few things I’ve read .
The banana peel experiment was a complete failure. I'm going back to a back of grass clippings for a while before I try anything new. Don't get me wrong. I like to experiment and try different things. But I also want to get results.
 
The banana peel experiment was a complete failure. I'm going back to a back of grass clippings for a while before I try anything new. Don't get me wrong. I like to experiment and try different things. But I also want to get results.
I agree completely . Results are what matter . Experimentation is fun and sometimes you learn more from failure than success. Always keep one culture that you know from experience works . I didn’t get any mosquito larvae this year but there are more mosquitoes this year than in quite a few years . Weird .
 
I agree completely . Results are what matter . Experimentation is fun and sometimes you learn more from failure than success. Always keep one culture that you know from experience works . I didn’t get any mosquito larvae this year but there are more mosquitoes this year than in quite a few years . Weird .
And everyone's situation is different. What worked for that guy on Youtube, isn't necessarily going to work for me and vice versa. There are some things that are universally true. But sometimes you have to find your own way.
 
I agree completely . Results are what matter . Experimentation is fun and sometimes you learn more from failure than success. Always keep one culture that you know from experience works . I didn’t get any mosquito larvae this year but there are more mosquitoes this year than in quite a few years . Weird .
Climate change and global warming. The slightly warmer weather is allowing mozzies to keep breeding for longer.

Milk encourages bacteria and mozzie larvae feed on bacteria, paramecium or anything small enough to fit in their mouth.
 
One of my grindal worm cultures got mites in it. I'll probably dump it out in the back yard and start over with it, using worms from the other culture.
 
found the best place to grow mosquito larva... we've been running over 100 degree heat index, & the outside doggie has his own kiddie pool to get drinks & wet in... apparent icky doggie water is great for raising mozzys in... I noticed 100's of them the other day, when I topped off his pool... pretty temped to go out and net them before they start flying
 
One of my grindal worm cultures got mites in it. I'll probably dump it out in the back yard and start over with it, using worms from the other culture.
Yes , that’s a good idea . Vent your lid by covering a two inch square hole with fine cotton cloth if you haven’t already . You can go beyond that by storing your culture in a pillow case too . Mites are something else , they get in everywhere if you don’t watch it .
 

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