# Fruit Fly Larva



## MarkJ (Feb 15, 2004)

For a while I didn't have any fruit flies because of constant failure in rearing and such. But now I started using a new media and all is well, except now a ton of larva seem to by laying on the screen mesh at the top of my cultures and whenever I open them larva fall off and then end up scattered around the room. I don't have anything for them to climb on in some and have cardboard in others, is there any other things I should try to stop them from doing this? Thanks


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## Guest (Feb 19, 2004)

Hey Mark,

I culture my flies in mason jars with 2 layers of coffee filters.
I also add a filter in the culture or a square of the plastic mesh from an art store, I think it is #7 needle point. 
Maybe the culture is hot.... just guessing now.

Benjamin...


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## Guest (Feb 19, 2004)

*Use excelsior*

Use excelsior in your cultures for the larva to morph on. Excelsior is basically just shreaded wood and is often referred to as a dried 'moss'. You can get it in bags at craft stores.


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## melissa68 (Feb 16, 2004)

*Larva*

If you are having a 'ton' of larva, you might try decreasing the amount of baker's yeast in your custures. I have noticed this issue if I put too much in there.

Melis


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## Scott (Feb 17, 2004)

In addition to what Melissa says... cut down on the amount of flies you add initially.

It's good to have "lots" of larva, but if the competition for food is too high, then many (most?) do not make it to "flyhood".

s


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## Guest (Feb 19, 2004)

Another cool trick is to tightly roll up a paper towel and stick it partly in the medium. It will give the developed flies a place to hang out, and the larva will be able to hang out in and eat through the layers of pt. Your cultures will explode. My production went really up, but the downside is that they will not last as long. Not too bad though, just more cultures to create.


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## MarkJ (Feb 15, 2004)

Allright thanks everyone, I am making a few more today, I'll go get some excelsior and see if there is a difference between that a paper towel and nothing. Thanks for your help!


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## melissa68 (Feb 16, 2004)

*an alternative*

another alternative is to use coffee filters. They are less expensive & if you get the 12 C ones they work great!


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## MarkJ (Feb 15, 2004)

Ok I'll try those instead of excelsior because I went to target and a craft store and they had no idea what I was talking about. Thanks


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## jbeetle (Feb 8, 2004)

*excelsior*

They sell the excelsior at most arts and craft stores (A.C.More&Micheals aere the big 2 around me), it is around where they have moss and other stuff used for dried flowers/arrangements. They might not know what you are talking about, but still have it... as this has happened to me before at these kind of stores. I find it better to look around yourself if you don't know exactly what you are asking for, since asking for excelsior for ff's doesn't make any sense to many people  .


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## andersonii85 (Feb 8, 2004)

*Re: an alternative*



melissa68 said:


> another alternative is to use coffee filters. They are less expensive & if you get the 12 C ones they work great!



Am I the only one that is ghetto? I use paper towels fro everything. I even use them for the lids on the mason jars. I just double them up and screw the top on. What's wrong with extra larvae? I use the excess to feed to the larger tincs....they love it! It's like ice cream to them....fattens them up.

Justin


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## Guest (Feb 24, 2004)

*Excelsior*

I just bought my excelsior from Walmart. It's in the craft section.


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