[kfhn]

I have a few questions about my skull cleaning beadles. The first is about the flies that some how got in. will they hurt my beadle colony? We took the screen off and got the flies out. Them we got one of those stick fly catchers and put it inside up at the top then put the screen back on. This is our first time using beadles to clean our skulls. Are there any tricks to help there progress along? The skulls have been in there a few weeks now, and have dried out. The bugs don’t seem to want to eat the hard stuff that’s left. Should I soak the skulls in water, and put them back in with the skulls?

 

[scott and stalk]

where did you get your beetles, and i once read that you are supposed to spray the skulls every other day or so to keep everything moist (preventing rock hard tissue that the beetles wont eat)

 

[kfhn]

my brother got them off ebay. and ya we spray them, but i am not sure it is doing it.

 

[ChasinTail]

Flies will kill your colony, you're probably going to get maggots even though you got the flies out. Fly strips will also catch the adult beetles if they decide to fly, which they will if your beetle box is warm enough. Dried out skulls are not good, beetles won't eat meat that is too dry and hard. I'd suggest going to a taxidermy only forum http://www.taxidermy.net and using their search function on the skulls and skeletons forum. Easiest and best way to get info. Read my post in Scott and Stalks thread. It's not just a simple matter of buying beetles and giving them meat. I've got a LOT of time and money invested in my colony. It's not just the money you spend on ebay, raising and using beetles is a serious investment.

 

[kfhn]

so how do i get rid of the flies?

 

[ChasinTail]

if you see maggots show up, you'll have to pick out the live beetles and larvae and transplant them to another box. If there are live flies in the box, make sure your temp is below about 75 and put the fly tape in, then move the surviving beetles if maggots show up

 

[kfhn]

thanks