Flightless Fruit Flies - Cup

from $10.00

Flightless Fruit Flies are an excellent choice for reptile and amphibian enthusiasts looking to provide high-quality, nutritious live feeders for their pets. At PNW Reptile Bites, we offer two popular varieties, Drosophila hydei and Drosophila melanogaster in our Standard Culture as well as our new Signature Series Cultures, to cater to different feeding needs.

πŸͺ° Flightless Fruit Fly Cultures – Now with Signature Series Options!

Our flightless fruit fly cultures are crafted for high performance and clean production, using premium media blends developed and tested right here at PNW ReptileBites.

⭐ Standard Fly Cups

Our classic cultures made with PNW's trusted base media β€” reliable, balanced, and ideal for everyday use.

  • Clean growth with minimal waste

  • Strong fly production

  • Ideal for regular feeding or breeding programs

🌈 Signature Series Fly Cups

Made with real fruit and botanical ingredients for vibrant, easy-to-manage cultures that stand out.
Each blend is naturally tinted to help you track cup rotation and culture health at a glance.

🟒 Emerald Bloom – Rainforest color. Clean performance.
πŸ”₯ Dragon Ember – Bold color. Fiery output.
🌺 Midnight Hibiscus – Bold tone. Balanced growth.

βœ” Strong yields β€’ Cleaner media β€’ Real fruit ingredients
βœ” Designed for quick identification & stock rotation

Our Two Fly Varieties

Drosophila HYDEI (Flightless Hydei Fruit Flies)

  • Larger Size: About 1/8 inch (3-4mm) in length, ideal for slightly larger juvenile reptiles and amphibians.

  • Longer Lifespan: Typically live longer than Melanogaster, providing a reliable feeder option.

  • Slower Breeding: Hydei flies reproduce more slowly, making them easier to manage for smaller-scale feeding needs.

Drosophila MELANOGASTER (Wingless Melanogaster Fruit Flies)

  • Smaller Size: Around 1/16 inch (1-2mm), perfect for tiny hatchlings, dart frogs, or pets that prefer smaller prey.

  • Fast Reproduction: They breed rapidly, ensuring a steady supply for frequent feeders.

πŸ“– Learn More in Our Blog!
For complete care tips, pet compatibility, and more, check out our blog:
πŸ”— Best Fruit Fly Cultures for Reptiles: Flightless Flies, Gut-Loaded Media & Care Tips

🌿 Order your Flightless Fruit Flies today from PNW Reptile Bites and keep your pets happy and healthy!

Cultures:
Species:
Options:

Flightless Fruit Flies are an excellent choice for reptile and amphibian enthusiasts looking to provide high-quality, nutritious live feeders for their pets. At PNW Reptile Bites, we offer two popular varieties, Drosophila hydei and Drosophila melanogaster in our Standard Culture as well as our new Signature Series Cultures, to cater to different feeding needs.

πŸͺ° Flightless Fruit Fly Cultures – Now with Signature Series Options!

Our flightless fruit fly cultures are crafted for high performance and clean production, using premium media blends developed and tested right here at PNW ReptileBites.

⭐ Standard Fly Cups

Our classic cultures made with PNW's trusted base media β€” reliable, balanced, and ideal for everyday use.

  • Clean growth with minimal waste

  • Strong fly production

  • Ideal for regular feeding or breeding programs

🌈 Signature Series Fly Cups

Made with real fruit and botanical ingredients for vibrant, easy-to-manage cultures that stand out.
Each blend is naturally tinted to help you track cup rotation and culture health at a glance.

🟒 Emerald Bloom – Rainforest color. Clean performance.
πŸ”₯ Dragon Ember – Bold color. Fiery output.
🌺 Midnight Hibiscus – Bold tone. Balanced growth.

βœ” Strong yields β€’ Cleaner media β€’ Real fruit ingredients
βœ” Designed for quick identification & stock rotation

Our Two Fly Varieties

Drosophila HYDEI (Flightless Hydei Fruit Flies)

  • Larger Size: About 1/8 inch (3-4mm) in length, ideal for slightly larger juvenile reptiles and amphibians.

  • Longer Lifespan: Typically live longer than Melanogaster, providing a reliable feeder option.

  • Slower Breeding: Hydei flies reproduce more slowly, making them easier to manage for smaller-scale feeding needs.

Drosophila MELANOGASTER (Wingless Melanogaster Fruit Flies)

  • Smaller Size: Around 1/16 inch (1-2mm), perfect for tiny hatchlings, dart frogs, or pets that prefer smaller prey.

  • Fast Reproduction: They breed rapidly, ensuring a steady supply for frequent feeders.

πŸ“– Learn More in Our Blog!
For complete care tips, pet compatibility, and more, check out our blog:
πŸ”— Best Fruit Fly Cultures for Reptiles: Flightless Flies, Gut-Loaded Media & Care Tips

🌿 Order your Flightless Fruit Flies today from PNW Reptile Bites and keep your pets happy and healthy!

Why Choose Flightless Fruit Flies?

  • High Nutritional Value: Both varieties are packed with essential protein, vitamins, and minerals that support reptile and amphibian health.

  • Cultivated in a Controlled Environment: Our fruit flies are carefully bred to ensure purity, cleanliness, and optimal nutritional quality.

  • Ideal for Small Pets: Perfectly sized for juvenile reptiles, amphibians, dart frogs, small geckos, and other insectivorous pets.

  • Stimulate Natural Feeding Behaviors: Encourages foraging and hunting instincts in insectivorous pets.

  • Easy to Maintain: Flightless varieties reduce the risk of escape, making them easier to manage.

  • Clean and Odor-Free: No mess or unpleasant odor, making them suitable for indoor environments.

Why Offer Multiple Culture Blends?

Rotating between different fly media formulas can provide subtle variety in nutrition, helping enrich your feeder diet over time. Real fruit and plant-based ingredients like spirulina, hibiscus, and dragon fruit add natural variation that supports gut-loading and can enhance the nutritional value of your feeders.

Using a mix of standard and Signature Series cultures also helps:

  • Track cup health and rotation with visual clarity

  • Test fly response across media types

  • Add enrichment through scent, color, and variation

Whether you’re managing one enclosure or a full rack, having variety in your cultures makes your fly setup cleaner, more efficient, and nutritionally diverse.

Available Options & Lifespan

  • New Cultures: Freshly started cultures, taking about 1-2 weeks before producing flies. These can last up to 4-6 weeks with proper care.

  • Producing Cultures: Already actively producing flies, ready to feed your pets immediately. These typically remain productive for 2-4 weeks with ideal conditions.

  • Discounted Retired Cultures: Offered at limited times, these cups often contain a large number of adult flies for immediate feeding. Ideal for quick use, but not intended for long-term productivity.

How Long Will a Cup Last?

Each culture will continue producing flies for several weeks when kept in a warm, stable environment (70-75Β°F). Regular harvesting of flies ensures continued production, with peak yields occurring around 2-3 weeks after the culture starts producing. Proper careβ€”such as avoiding excessive moisture and maintaining airflowβ€”can extend the lifespan of your cultures.

Whether you have dart frogs, small geckos, or other insectivorous pets, Flightless Fruit Flies are an excellent choice to meet their dietary needs.

What If Flies Look Mixed Into the Media?

During shipping, it's possible that some flies may get jostled and end up stuck in or mixed into the media. This is especially common during warm weather or longer transit times.

Don't worryβ€”your culture is still likely to be viable.
Even if many adult flies appear saturated or inactive, eggs and pupae already in the cup will continue to develop.

What to do:

  • Set the cup upright in a warm spot (72–78Β°F).

  • Do not shake or disturb the media further.

  • Allow the culture to settle for 24–48 hours.

  • Within 5–10 days, you should begin seeing new flies hatching and climbing.

If you’re ever unsure about the condition of a culture, feel free to send us a messageβ€”we’re always happy to help troubleshoot or replace if needed.