Apparatus and associated methods relate to selectively inducing ingress and/or egress of live food creatures (FCs) relative to a reservoir using a controllable light source based on innate behavior(s) of the FCs. In an illustrative example, a feeder for dispensing live food to a carnivore may have a (partially) opaque chamber configured to receive FCs. A controlled light source may, for example, be selectively operable to illuminate at least part of the chamber. A carnivore interface may, for example, be in communication with the chamber via at least one dispensing aperture and be configured to present a dispensed FC to the carnivore. Operation of the controlled light source in a dispensing mode may induces motion of the FCs in the chamber towards the carnivore interface to be presented as food to the carnivore. Various embodiments may advantageously induce self-dispensing and/or self-retention of insects as food.