# What a MESS: Flying Fruit Flies



## Kiari43 (Mar 6, 2006)

I have a major flying fruit fly infestation. 

My cultures were not producing well so I picked up 3 small ones last week from Petco. I put them in with my current 2 cultures. Low and behold I ended up with fliers. At first I thought I could deal with it and just put the culture in the viv and opened it. My frog enjoyed them!

Some snuck out though during feeding and misting and now I have more than I desires flying around my frog room. I have put out red wine vinegar and killed a good number of them but there are more alive ones lurking around than dead ones.

HELP!


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

Been there x2...

Break out your vaccuum cleaner...

Put on that really long tube like attachment...

Go to town.....sucks them up as they fly.....

It's really the only way to do it quickly.....


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## Otis (Apr 16, 2006)

Yeah, bad things happen when you cross lines of flies. Either you cross them and they produce absolutly nothing, or they create some nasty new kind of flying fly. As a general rule Petco cultures suck, most of them are hydei so if you crossed them with melano's you get mutant flies basically. I would get a few cultures from the sponsors to be your starter culture, then you can branch off and make your own, but starting with a strong line is important.


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## jubjub47 (Sep 9, 2008)

Your new flies are a different type than the old flies. You've unlocked the flying gene by mixing them. It's best to never mix different supplies of flies just to be on the safe side. Good luck.


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## Kiari43 (Mar 6, 2006)

Philsuma said:


> Been there x2...
> 
> Break out your vaccuum cleaner...
> 
> ...



Never even thought of that! Thanks for the tip!


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## Kiari43 (Mar 6, 2006)

otis07 said:


> Yeah, bad things happen when you cross lines of flies. Either you cross them and they produce absolutly nothing, or they create some nasty new kind of flying fly. As a general rule Petco cultures suck, most of them are hydei so if you crossed them with melano's you get mutant flies basically. I would get a few cultures from the sponsors to be your starter culture, then you can branch off and make your own, but starting with a strong line is important.



Yeah I do get my flies normally from one of the sponsors. I hadn't ordered in a while and figured I would supplement rather than put in a new order. Wow! Lesson learned the hard way.


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## Kiari43 (Mar 6, 2006)

jubjub47 said:


> Your new flies are a different type than the old flies. You've unlocked the flying gene by mixing them. It's best to never mix different supplies of flies just to be on the safe side. Good luck.


Thanks Tim


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## Otis (Apr 16, 2006)

At least you know now 
I got a culture from Petco once when I only had one dart and had no clue what I was doing, and it had like 20 flies in it, the media was all dried up, and there was a layer about an inch thick of dead flies on the bottom. YUCK! I think a lot of people have learnt this lesson the hard way.


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## Kiari43 (Mar 6, 2006)

otis07 said:


> At least you know now
> I got a culture from Petco once when I only had one dart and had no clue what I was doing, and it had like 20 flies in it, the media was all dried up, and there was a layer about an inch thick of dead flies on the bottom. YUCK! I think a lot of people have learnt this lesson the hard way.



I have seen horrible cultures (and obviously tiny and moldy) from petco for awhile. With the holiday coming up and a trip planned for new years I was just hoping to stretch my current cultures until I knew I would be home everyday to receive a mailed delivery. It is too cold here now to let them sit outside. If I was thinking I would have had them sent to my neighbor who will be feeding them while were gone.


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## mtolypetsupply (Dec 18, 2008)

Are the Petco cultures the ones from Timberline????

I got some from Timberline, and cultured melanogaster from them. They aren't flying, like ordinary flying bugs, but seem to have the ability for at least short "hops". 

What is the definition of 'flightless"? The hydei I have don't seem to move like the melos do. If I keep culturing the melos, will they be fliers before long, or is that normal for them???


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## melissa68 (Feb 16, 2004)

Add a drop of liquid soap to the vinegar. You will be amazed at how many more flies you will catch. 

They drop right to the bottom of the container - vs hanging around on top of the liquid and climbing back out.



Kiari43 said:


> I have a major flying fruit fly infestation.
> 
> My cultures were not producing well so I picked up 3 small ones last week from Petco. I put them in with my current 2 cultures. Low and behold I ended up with fliers. At first I thought I could deal with it and just put the culture in the viv and opened it. My frog enjoyed them!
> 
> ...


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