# sticky fruit fly cultures?



## whitethumb (Feb 5, 2011)

recently it appears my fruit fly cultures have been really sticky. a search yielded really nothing so i figured id ask. i haven't changed anything, same temperature, same water, same flies, same conditions, same media... only thing i can think of is i added some new cultures but they're in their own containers. its done this about 4 times now and i'm not sure what to make of it. the cultures dont appear to be thriving much either. has anybody has any experience like this? or am i doing something different and not know it?


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## redfrogger (Nov 6, 2010)

I noticed mine would get sticky too. I found that by adding a little more vinegar helped keep the media from getting sticky and trapping the flies.


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## ConFuCiuZ (Jul 13, 2011)

I notice one of my fruit fly cultures get sticky as well.maybe it's too much water in the mixture.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

The addition of something like excelsior should make sticky cultures a non-issue since it enables the flies to not be stuck in the media when you add them. 

Ed


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## BrianWI (Feb 4, 2012)

In a sticky culture, they sometimes crawl down the excelsior and get stuck anyway.

Use less moisture or use a recipe that hold more moisture. Also, letting cultures sit overnight before adding flies helps.


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## MonarchzMan (Oct 23, 2006)

I let the cultures sit for an hour or two until the media has cooled down from the hot water, put in some excelsior, and toss in flies. Never had a problem. I've only had problems with flies sticking to the media if I don't let it sit for a little bit or don't have something for them to climb on. If you get enough excelsior in the cup and tap them in, they should all catch on the excelsior.

Any that commit suicide by continuing to go down and get stuck in the media, well, you don't want them passing their genes anyway


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## whitethumb (Feb 5, 2011)

i dont use warm or hot water when making cultures. i've noticed that for some reason the flies are tracking the media to the sides of the cup and all over the excelsior and are getting stuck. i open the lid and see tons of dead flies stuck all over the excelsior. i use a sponsor media that i've been using for quite some time and i'm not sure if they changed it. the cultures are in the same room as the frogs. temps are from 73 degrees to 77 degrees fahrenheit. 

i've read some postings on ff recipes and have thought about giving that a go. im looking for one that smells good lol.


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## Ilovebugs (Jul 28, 2012)

I have had this happen to me too. So, good to know. Vingar would seem like it would work to brake upwhat ever stickiness it happening.


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## Pacblu202 (May 8, 2012)

whitethumb said:


> i've read some postings on ff recipes and have thought about giving that a go. im looking for one that smells good lol.


My recipe is as follows:

6 cups potato flakes/pearls($8.00)
2 cups brewers/nutritional yeast($20.00)
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar($2-3.00)
2 tablespoons cinnamon($2.00)

Total cost of around $33.00 and I have enough material to make a LOT of cultures. 1 1/2 of this recipe and I can probably make ~30 or so cultures and still have plenty of material left.


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## Gamble (Aug 1, 2010)

Pacblu202 said:


> My recipe is as follows:
> 
> 6 cups potato flakes/pearls($8.00)
> 2 cups brewers/nutritional yeast($20.00)
> ...


That is the same recipe i use, but i add a mold preventer also.


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## Pacblu202 (May 8, 2012)

Yeah gamble I meant to add that. I currently don't use any but almost everyone else does. Just have yet to get my roommates to take me to get some bakers yeast haha


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## Reef_Haven (Jan 19, 2011)

Pacblu202 said:


> My recipe is as follows:
> 
> 6 cups potato flakes/pearls($8.00)
> 2 cups brewers/nutritional yeast($20.00)
> ...


You are paying way too much for Brewers Yeast.
Brewers Yeast (5 LBS/15 cups) | Josh's Frogs


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## ConFuCiuZ (Jul 13, 2011)

I been using repashy superfly. Some cultures do get sticky. I let them sit overnight.


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## RibbidyReptiles (Jul 14, 2012)

Has anyone had a problem with the flies dying 3 or 4 days after putting them in the culture? It only seems to happen with my melanogaster but not my hydei.
I use a similar recipe as Pacblu202. 
And how much water and vinegar do you add Pacblu202?


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