# cheapest way to culture fruit flies?



## Bluefrogmoo (Nov 5, 2009)

Does any one have any suggestions as to where to buy fruit fly culturing supplies? Ive looked at a few sights and ive seen them go from 20 dollars to 80 dollars. Right now i have one frog blue and black auratus. Any suggestions are appreciated.


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## Dragas (Sep 4, 2008)

What do you mean by supplies ? Cups ? Lids ? or media ? 

Philsuma started this thread awhile back .. 

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/food-feeding/37193-costs-ff-media-ingredients-big-box-stores.html


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## JoshK (Jan 5, 2009)

The "Harvey Peterson Medium" 
1 part white sugar
2 parts powdered/instant milk
4 parts instant mashed potatoes 

Thats probably the cheapest, easiest FF media. However, If you only have one frog, you might as well buy some great media, it will last you a while.


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## Michael Shrom (May 20, 2004)

It depends on how you figure cheap. Culturing them in snapple bottles with a piece of an old t shirt on the top held by a rubber band is cheap. You can use 2 parts potato flake, 1 part 10x sugar, and 50/50 vinegar water. You could even try skipping the sugar.

I find that the home made medium is adequate but molds or funguses more than commercial medium. I use Carolina biological supply medium in tall Superior enterprise insect delicups. It isn't to expensive and yields a more consistent hatch.

I did the snapple thing years ago and even washed the jars after use. It made me sneeze.


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## laylow (Apr 6, 2009)

I've even gone to the deli counter in my local grocery store and they've given me a bunch of cups and lids then I cut a big hole in the top of the lid and hot glued a coffee filter over the hole. . . 

It works but I dont like them at all compaired to the professional stuff


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## littlefrog (Sep 13, 2005)

I've used deli cups and cut slits in the lids, which I covered with air permeable bandage tape. Kind of cool. But, kind of a pain in the rear, really. I doubt I saved much money.

Now I buy cups and lids and media. Your sponsors sell good stuff (at retail some of them are cheaper than you will find wholesale), try the board sponsors first.


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