# My fruit flies keep evolving too fast, what should I do?



## Nepenthesx (Jun 4, 2021)

I've gotten fruit flies from 3 different vendors but nothing seems to help. My fruit flies keep becoming capable of flying again within a few weeks. Is there any way to prevent this?


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## fishingguy12345 (Apr 7, 2019)

Nepenthesx said:


> I've gotten fruit flies from 3 different vendors but nothing seems to help. My fruit flies keep becoming capable of flying again within a few weeks. Is there any way to prevent this?


What lids are you using? Are the cultures that you are buying growing flyers or is it when you're starting new cultures that the new ones get flyers?


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## Nepenthesx (Jun 4, 2021)

Its when I start new cultures that they start becoming capable of flight again. Im using the breathable lids


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## fishingguy12345 (Apr 7, 2019)

Nepenthesx said:


> Its when I start new cultures that they start becoming capable of flight again. Im using the breathable lids


Are you using only the one culture to seed the new cultures with? If you're mixing cultures from different vendors then they could have different genes preventing flight which when they mix breed that regain the flight ability.


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## Nepenthesx (Jun 4, 2021)

No I haven't mixed the cultures. Im wondering of somehow a regular fruit fly can get into the culture and then everyone can regain flight? Is that possible?


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

When you say "breathable", does this mean that the lids have a fabric membrane, or are they just punched plastic? How high do the temperatures get in the vicinity of your cultures? 
Flightless parent FFs cannot regain the ability to fly, but subsequent generations can, if one of the parent flies is a wild-type, or relying on a different genetic mutation to result in the flightless condition, as Fishingguy said. High temperatures can also cause offspring of flightless parents to become fliers.


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)




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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

Fungus gnat infestations can also look like reversions to fliers, too, but is just contamination with a different insect. If it isn't high temps causing reversions, then it is fungus gnats.


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## MorseToad (Mar 27, 2021)

Can you get any good pictures of your flies? It is difficult to know what specific mutation is causing the flightless phenotype in commercially available fruit flies, but yes, certain mutations can produce different phenotypes depending on temperature. Wingless or curly-winged flies will not revert to flyers regardless of temperature.


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## Nepenthesx (Jun 4, 2021)

Philsuma said:


> View attachment 302847
> View attachment 302847


Yes this is what I use


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## Nepenthesx (Jun 4, 2021)

If I start over with a new culture from a vendor again (which it looks like I have to do lol), how exactly should I take care of the flies to prevent any fungus gnat infestations or them regaining flight? Do I need to use a different type of lid? Temperature is usually between 68-70 where I keep the flies


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## jeffkruse (Jun 5, 2018)

What kind of flies?


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## Nepenthesx (Jun 4, 2021)

Melanogaster and I always choose "flightless"


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## stylezstar81 (Feb 22, 2020)

Nepenthesx said:


> No I haven't mixed the cultures. Im wondering of somehow a regular fruit fly can get into the culture and then everyone can regain flight? Is that possible?


If a regular fly gets in there, it's over.....u have flyers! Make sure there are no holes on the lids. The smallest hole, those bastqrds find a way in!


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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

Nepenthesx said:


> Melanogaster and I always choose "flightless"


Even though the temps seem fine for flightless, if it were me I'd try wingless and see how things go.

Just make sure there's no way for outside insects to get in -- never leave the top off, always make sure the top seals completely when you put it back on, make sure there's no damage to the lid/fabric (they're reusable many times, but a good idea to give them a quick look over after washing).

It may also be a good idea to put out traps for any fungus gnats or wild FFs -- a shallow dish of apple cider vinegar has worked well for me for fungus gnats.


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## Herpin Man (Apr 11, 2018)

I have the same problem with hydei. I suspect that I may be keeping them too warm. However, I’ve noticed that it is older cultures with later booms that develop the ability to fly.


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

Post a pic of your cxs and location


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## Okapi (Oct 12, 2007)

Could they be phorid flies? I have bought cultures at reptile expos that were infested with phorid fly maggots.
Also, at any point of the process of making the cultures do you ever leave the lid off? When waiting for the dry media to fully hydrate for example or when getting ready to add the founding fruit flies.


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

never leave the lid off. Never


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## Chris S (Apr 12, 2016)

Philsuma said:


> never leave the lid off. Never


Agreed, the only time I have the lid off is when I am making the mix, adding flies, or taking them out!


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## bulbophyllum (Feb 6, 2012)

Chris S said:


> Agreed, the only time I have the lid off is when I am making the mix, adding flies, or taking them out!


Yeah. It just takes a second for wild fly to get in there when you are setting up a culture. I'm crazy careful too.


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