# Fruit Fly Culturing - mini HowTo



## Marty

I posted this on VF, thought I'd cross post it here, maybe someone will find it useful

Here's a mini HOW-TO for making fruit fly cultures. By no means this is a definitive guide, this is simply what works for me. I tried a variety of methods, containers, recipes, etc. This is what works very well for me, so I thought I'd share it with you guys.

1st is the recipe for the media. This is very simple with no frills and it produces extremely well. It's also cheap !









*Ingredients*

White Vinegar - The cheapest you can find. No need for Heinz here. Bottom shelf, no name.[/*:m:22h07ex0]
 Hot tap Water[/*:m:22h07ex0]
 White Sugar[/*:m:22h07ex0]
 Brewers yeast - other types of yeast just don't cut it. Be sure to use brewers! (check your local bulk foods store)[/*:m:22h07ex0]
 Instant mashed potato flakes (also bulk foods). [/*:m:22h07ex0]
 Fleischman's instant yeast[/*:m:22h07ex0]

*Tools:*

 Whisk[/*:m:22h07ex0]
 Bowl[/*:m:22h07ex0]
 Fruit Fly containers & lids[/*:m:22h07ex0]
 Excelsior or Coffee filters[/*:m:22h07ex0]

Make a mix of 50/50 water vinegar mixture. Add brewers yeast and sugar. Whisk until dissolved. Add potato flakes until you get a mix of consistency looser then apple sauce. 








Let it stand for about 5-10 minutes until it thickens. It should now be as thick as apple sauce. If it isn't add more water/vinegar mixture. If it's too runny, add a bit more potato flakes and let it stand for a few minutes until it thickens.










Add about an inch of the media into the cup. I guess if you're into re-usable then you can use jars or even bottles. I don't like it and I refuse to clean the mess, so I just use the plastic 32oz fruit fly containers with meshed lids. You can get them here










Sprinkle a small pinch of instant yeast on top. Not sure if this actually works, but the popular belief is that the adult flies feed on this. I didn't notice any difference in production or life expectancy when I don't add it...but, it's not expensive, lasts a long time and doesn't really take that much more time, so might as well add it. Just a pinch. 










There's probably as many opinions about the filler that you put into your cultures for fruit flies to climb and lay eggs on, as there are media recipes. A lot of people like to use coffee filter paper. Personally I don't. It gets wet, it's flimsy and sometimes falls out. If you like it and it works for you use it, if you like something else use that. 










Excelsior works great for me, so that's what I perfer to use. It's expensive if you buy it at a craft store. It's cheap if you get it at a packing place of go to home depot early spring when their water fountains come in  Don't ask, just take an empty box with all the excelsior you need and tell the cashier it's empty- they never seem to mind. I did that for a long time, then I needed it in the fall, home depot didn't have any, so I bought a bail of it for about $50. That was 2 years ago. I gave a ton to other people and I still have enough for the next 5 years! Get few guys, get a bail and your excelsior problem will be solved. I don't remember where I bought it tough...somewhere on the web at a packing place.










Make a little ball, shake out any loose threads and pack it into your containers. Make sure you press it into your media. You're now ready to seed your new cultures with fruit flies.










Before you add fruit flies from an old culture, be sure you inspect it for mites. If you have mites, well.... you have a big problem to deal with. I won't get into it here, so lets assume you don't have mites 

Few things to remember when making cultures:
 Get yourself good anti-mite paper. Make sure it's fresh. [/*:m:22h07ex0]
 Never leave your producing cultures on other surfaces other then the mite paper.[/*:m:22h07ex0]
 Don't use very old cultures to make your starter cultures. Try to pick'em at their prime[/*:m:22h07ex0]
 When you stack the cultures on the shelf, make sure the lids don't touch.[/*:m:22h07ex0]

Add about 100 flies to each new cultures. You can add more, but be warned. Your culture will practically explode with maggots and fruit flies. If you leave too many flies in your culture, it may crash and shorten the useful life of your culture. It's better to add less flies and have it produce for a longer period of time, then have a huge popularion for a short time.










Above is a melanogaster culture that's packed with maggots. Like I said, you can get more maggots if you seed with larger number of FFs but this will come at a price, so don't be fruit fly greedy  It's better for the culture to last you longer, so you don't have to make them as often. 

Here's a closeup









I make my cultures probably once every 3 weeks. I make both melanogasters and hydei's










Here's a good tip that will make your fruit flies last much longer ! When I make new cultures I always make few extra that I don't seed. Just leave them empty. I make them my "Overflow" storage containers. If a fruit fly culture produces more then I can use, I'll throw the excess FFs into the "O" containers where they will be able to survive without a problem. This alleviates the strain on the culture that produces, which makes it last longer. You now also have all the fruit flies that you'll ever need in the overflow. This will also mean that you've SUPER seeded the overflow culture. Which is OK as this is just an "O" culture. It will still be useful for feeding off the adults, but remember it will also explode with a population when it matures. I don't use the Overflow cultures for seeding new ones. I only seed new ones from healthy cultures. The Overflows are great buffers to keep your cultures in check and not crashing. It's also great when your cultures are not ready to produce. Works great for me.










Here's how I keep my cultures. I've been doing it for several years, so I've got it down to a science. Before I needed many more cultures, now with the overflow containers my cultures are much healthier and produce much longer. I typically toss'em out when they still produce. I'd keep'em longer, but after about 3-4 weeks they tend to start to stink. I don't like stinky cultures, so off they go. I put the freshest cultures near the top and older cultures that I'm using to feed on lower shelves.

Hope you find this useful !


----------



## Smogre

This was a very helpful thread.
As a beginner who has not made their first culture yet, I found the pictures extremely helpful.
I think this thread should be a sticky or made easy to find for newbs.

Thank you, Marty.

Smogre


----------



## kyle1745

Very interesting method Marty... Thanks for posting it.


----------



## frogcrazy

Thanks Marty. How much suger and brewer`s yeast do you use?


----------



## Marty

Glad you guys found it useful. 

I always eyeball the recipe. For 10 cultures I use probably about a cup of brewer’s yeast and a cup of sugar. All depends how much pours out of the bag or container. We're not baking French pastry here


----------



## Enlightened Rogue

Awesome job, thanks. John


----------



## mascencerro

this may sound dumb, but in a month or so I'm going to start practicing my culture-foo in preparation for my little froggies, but what did you mean by 'good anti-mite paper' ?


----------



## Marty

If you do not protect your cultures, sooner or later you will start seeing mites crawling all around the cultures. Mite paper is paper that's laced with a pesticide. If the paper is fresh and potent, any mite that will try to walk on the paper to get to your cultures will die.

You can get anti-mite paper in many places...wherever you get it make sure you ask how old it is. If possible you want to get fresh stock. The fresher the better. I got my paper from carolina and from black jungle. Both worked great. I got a deal on the web somewhere once and it must have been too old, I had mites walking all over it. Had to scrap the whole setup and start fresh - not fun!

link to Carolina
link to Black Jungle


----------



## mascencerro

thanks

i knew the purpose, just was curious as to any brands that might be locally available, or if it was something i'd have to order from a supplier/specialty shop. i wonder if fly paper would work, or would the mites be able to get past that one?


----------



## defaced

You can buy anti mite solution online from various retailers that will allow you to treat any porous surface for mites. You're looking for 0.10 % Benzyl Benzoate Solution.


----------



## Android1313

Nice post Marty, I like your recipe! I do that with my extra flies too.(overflow) but I don't put excelsior in there, and when they get maggots I feed off the flies and use them to feed out the maggots. I just scrape out the maggots, with a plastic knife and put em on a lid, into the viv. The frogs love them! I have even taken the lids off these cultures and put them directly in the tank, (at an angle) when I am on vacation etc.., and I usually come home to find them all piled in the container, slurping up the maggots.


----------



## bpfrog

Awesome post...And I like the Overflow container...


----------



## kyle1745

I prefer the solution and then to wet down paper towels. I did not have as much luck with the paper, but that may also be the types of mites you get in your area. It is my understanding there are many different types.


----------



## Marty

I went through some turmoil with mite paper also, now I only buy it if it's fresh and then when I store it, I always wrap it in plastic so it stays fresh. It works and keeps my cultures mite free. Get bad old paper and your cultures are history. Probably wouldn't be a bad idea to get mite paper and then spray it with the mitocite


----------



## Guest

Great recipe Marty! Ive never made an FF culture in my life so I have to ask about the very last step; how do you feed your frogs?


----------



## glitch

Marty - 

thank you for taking the time and effort to post that.

I know it helped me.


----------



## Derrick

Instead of mite paper I use paper towls sprayed with Provent-a-Mite. Then I let it dry completely. It has always worked better and longer than the blue mite paper I had used before. The blue mit paper seemed to lose effectiveness at aroud 2-3 weeks and the paper towel/Provent-a-Mite method lasts me twice as long at about 1 1/2 months and I dont even get any dead mites collecting on the sprayed paper towel.


----------



## Guest

What do mites look like? Where are they found in a fly culture? Can someone post pictures? PM?

Sorry for the questions,


----------



## mascencerro

§lipperhead said:


> What do mites look like? Where are they found in a fly culture? Can someone post pictures? PM?
> 
> Sorry for the questions,


i was curious too what to be looking for. I have seen some mites in my life, but don't know if they are the same ones I need to be looking out for.


----------



## pacaAndrew

I appreciate the post, I was just about to post some questions about culturing but you seem to have answered them for me already.


----------



## tison 30

I have the Fleischmann (dairy section) but what does the bakers yeast look like? is it the stuff in the baking aisle thats in the brown packets? i dont believe its Fleischmann brand but im not sure.


----------



## tison 30

Bump before work so i can get it now.


----------



## Ed

tison 30 said:


> I have the Fleischmann (dairy section) but what does the bakers yeast look like? is it the stuff in the baking aisle thats in the brown packets? i dont believe its Fleischmann brand but im not sure.


That is a type of baker's yeast. You should also be able to locate a jar of it for use in Breadmachines. 
Or you can order it online... 

Ed


----------



## tison 30

I have the one in the jar 









Do i need the one in a packet, i know theres two different kinds that are in packets but im not sure the difference. (middle packet) is what im talking about


----------



## Adven2er

They are all the same (Bakers Yeast)


----------



## texasgoldbuyer

Marty said:


> I posted this on VF, thought I'd cross post it here, maybe someone will find it useful
> 
> Here's a mini HOW-TO for making fruit fly cultures. By no means this is a definitive guide, this is simply what works for me. I tried a variety of methods, containers, recipes, etc. This is what works very well for me, so I thought I'd share it with you guys.
> 
> 1st is the recipe for the media. This is very simple with no frills and it produces extremely well. It's also cheap !
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Ingredients*
> 
> White Vinegar - The cheapest you can find. No need for Heinz here. Bottom shelf, no name.[/*:m:22h07ex0]
> Hot tap Water[/*:m:22h07ex0]
> White Sugar[/*:m:22h07ex0]
> Brewers yeast - other types of yeast just don't cut it. Be sure to use brewers! (check your local bulk foods store)[/*:m:22h07ex0]
> Instant mashed potato flakes (also bulk foods). [/*:m:22h07ex0]
> Fleischman's instant yeast[/*:m:22h07ex0]
> 
> *Tools:*
> 
> Whisk[/*:m:22h07ex0]
> Bowl[/*:m:22h07ex0]
> Fruit Fly containers & lids[/*:m:22h07ex0]
> Excelsior or Coffee filters[/*:m:22h07ex0]
> 
> Make a mix of 50/50 water vinegar mixture. Add brewers yeast and sugar. Whisk until dissolved. Add potato flakes until you get a mix of consistency looser then apple sauce.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Let it stand for about 5-10 minutes until it thickens. It should now be as thick as apple sauce. If it isn't add more water/vinegar mixture. If it's too runny, add a bit more potato flakes and let it stand for a few minutes until it thickens.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Add about an inch of the media into the cup. I guess if you're into re-usable then you can use jars or even bottles. I don't like it and I refuse to clean the mess, so I just use the plastic 32oz fruit fly containers with meshed lids. You can get them here
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sprinkle a small pinch of instant yeast on top. Not sure if this actually works, but the popular belief is that the adult flies feed on this. I didn't notice any difference in production or life expectancy when I don't add it...but, it's not expensive, lasts a long time and doesn't really take that much more time, so might as well add it. Just a pinch.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There's probably as many opinions about the filler that you put into your cultures for fruit flies to climb and lay eggs on, as there are media recipes. A lot of people like to use coffee filter paper. Personally I don't. It gets wet, it's flimsy and sometimes falls out. If you like it and it works for you use it, if you like something else use that.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Excelsior works great for me, so that's what I perfer to use. It's expensive if you buy it at a craft store. It's cheap if you get it at a packing place of go to home depot early spring when their water fountains come in  Don't ask, just take an empty box with all the excelsior you need and tell the cashier it's empty- they never seem to mind. I did that for a long time, then I needed it in the fall, home depot didn't have any, so I bought a bail of it for about $50. That was 2 years ago. I gave a ton to other people and I still have enough for the next 5 years! Get few guys, get a bail and your excelsior problem will be solved. I don't remember where I bought it tough...somewhere on the web at a packing place.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Make a little ball, shake out any loose threads and pack it into your containers. Make sure you press it into your media. You're now ready to seed your new cultures with fruit flies.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Before you add fruit flies from an old culture, be sure you inspect it for mites. If you have mites, well.... you have a big problem to deal with. I won't get into it here, so lets assume you don't have mites
> 
> Few things to remember when making cultures:
> Get yourself good anti-mite paper. Make sure it's fresh. [/*:m:22h07ex0]
> Never leave your producing cultures on other surfaces other then the mite paper.[/*:m:22h07ex0]
> Don't use very old cultures to make your starter cultures. Try to pick'em at their prime[/*:m:22h07ex0]
> When you stack the cultures on the shelf, make sure the lids don't touch.[/*:m:22h07ex0]
> 
> Add about 100 flies to each new cultures. You can add more, but be warned. Your culture will practically explode with maggots and fruit flies. If you leave too many flies in your culture, it may crash and shorten the useful life of your culture. It's better to add less flies and have it produce for a longer period of time, then have a huge popularion for a short time.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Above is a melanogaster culture that's packed with maggots. Like I said, you can get more maggots if you seed with larger number of FFs but this will come at a price, so don't be fruit fly greedy  It's better for the culture to last you longer, so you don't have to make them as often.
> 
> Here's a closeup
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I make my cultures probably once every 3 weeks. I make both melanogasters and hydei's
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's a good tip that will make your fruit flies last much longer ! When I make new cultures I always make few extra that I don't seed. Just leave them empty. I make them my "Overflow" storage containers. If a fruit fly culture produces more then I can use, I'll throw the excess FFs into the "O" containers where they will be able to survive without a problem. This alleviates the strain on the culture that produces, which makes it last longer. You now also have all the fruit flies that you'll ever need in the overflow. This will also mean that you've SUPER seeded the overflow culture. Which is OK as this is just an "O" culture. It will still be useful for feeding off the adults, but remember it will also explode with a population when it matures. I don't use the Overflow cultures for seeding new ones. I only seed new ones from healthy cultures. The Overflows are great buffers to keep your cultures in check and not crashing. It's also great when your cultures are not ready to produce. Works great for me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's how I keep my cultures. I've been doing it for several years, so I've got it down to a science. Before I needed many more cultures, now with the overflow containers my cultures are much healthier and produce much longer. I typically toss'em out when they still produce. I'd keep'em longer, but after about 3-4 weeks they tend to start to stink. I don't like stinky cultures, so off they go. I put the freshest cultures near the top and older cultures that I'm using to feed on lower shelves.
> 
> Hope you find this useful !


This is great if you have been mixing it for awhile. But for someone new to making it measurements would be nice. "2 cups / 2 gallons? what amount are you making? I would and sure lots of other readers would like to know this


----------



## texasgoldbuyer

Well Marty, I for one think this is great. Are we making it for 1 frog or 10,000 frogs? Give us some details on amount we are making. I am new to this and at this point have 3 pairs of frogs. And it is a bother to have to drve 20 miles to buy crickets every 3 or 4 days and I would love to start making my own at home. So please give more details I am very interested as I am sure lots of other readers are.


----------



## Kgbower

I was wondering if you could refridgerate this mix once it was made and use it later on.


----------



## deansie26

texasgoldbuyer said:


> This is great if you have been mixing it for awhile. But for someone new to making it measurements would be nice. "2 cups / 2 gallons? what amount are you making? I would and sure lots of other readers would like to know this


I would too, like how much of each for 1 or 2 cultures


----------



## Grojas

deansie26 said:


> I would too, like how much of each for 1 or 2 cultures


I would also appreciate quantities


----------



## ChrisK

Basic ratios are 8 parts potato flakes, 1 part sugar, 1 part brewers yeast. With that recipe I use a measuring cup, use 8 cups potato flakes, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup brewers yeast into a closeable container like maybe a tupperware container you would store cereal in, shake it up, use it to make cultures when necessary, a good measuring ratio to start with from there is 1/3 cup media into a fruitfly cup, add 1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup vinegar and swirl it, a pinch of the bakers yeast on top, add excelsior or coffee filters and like 50-75 flies


----------



## vugger#1

Marty,
How much suger and how much brewers yeast?


----------



## vugger#1

Sorry Chris I missed your post. 
Chris with your ratio how many cultures does that make for you?


----------



## ChrisK

If you use 1/3 cup of dry media for each culture it comes out to 30 since there is 10 cups of dry media


----------



## Adamrl018

ok im having a hard time finding where to by brewer's yeast around where i live..
Now® Debittered Brewer's Yeast - GNC - GNC

Is this it?


----------



## charlesg

Ive used that same method for fruit fly's, one change I made was adding some banana pulp to the culture. It seemed to work better and produce more fly's (Only used with Hydei have not tried with other fly's). I did 3 test cultures with the banana and 3 without all set up at the same time stored at same shelf location.


----------



## xxohmycaptainxx

Very cool, I have three questions though. What is anti-mite paper? And how do you get the flies out to feed your frogs? These are flightless flies correct? Always wondered how theygot flightless flies, maybe there bred that way?


----------



## packer43064

Dātokaeru56;532853 said:


> Very cool, I have three questions though. What is anti-mite paper? And how do you get the flies out to feed your frogs? These are flightless flies correct? Always wondered how theygot flightless flies, maybe there bred that way?


Anti-mite paper is exactly as it sounds. It will kill the mites that walk on it, it must be replaced regularily though. It won't last months on end. Alot of people use mite spray. You spray it on paper towel (heavily) then let it dry and put your FF cultures on it. Pretty simple.

Yes thay are flightless or wingless fruit flies actually. I believe they were a mutation way back when. That's as far as I know.


----------



## Pumilo

Adamrl018 said:


> ok im having a hard time finding where to by brewer's yeast around where i live..
> Now® Debittered Brewer's Yeast - GNC - GNC
> 
> Is this it?


Yes, that's it, but Josh's Frogs will sell you 5 times as much for the same price. If you need is yesterday, any health food store should have it.
Doug


----------



## JB_orchidguy

Thanks for the how too!!! This will come in handy.


----------



## BrianWI

I would bet making your own mite paper with Fipronil spray (Frontline) would work well and last quite awhile. I have used about every mite killing compound there is and Fipronil works best.


----------



## Ranitomeya Jack

This has helped me understand a lot more about Fruit Fly Culturing, cheers!


----------



## johntaylor115

Wow!!! Very interesting method Marty... Thanks!


----------



## jmdelarosa55

bpfrog said:


> Awesome post...And I like the Overflow container...


Thanks for the info. When you say "Overflow" what exactly do you mean? Are there too many flies in your culture? Whats too many? When would i move into overflow container. I ask because somedays I notice my cultures are full of flies, I mean wall to wall. Then when I look the next day or the day after, there dead. I'm trying to figure whats going on. 

Is there a certain temp and humidity that these cultures thrive in? I am now experimenting with using "Raffi" instead of "elxicer"


----------



## JavaJacketOC

Great post, thank you for this!


----------

