# stinky fruit fly culture



## Maggotthegoat (Jan 29, 2010)

ok hi im sure this has been asked before .my fruit fly cultures stink its a sour smell and it lingers and permerates through cabnets and doors its one from wormmans cup mashed potatoes table spoon sugar and a pinch of yeast and cup of water that has some vinager in it


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## froglady (Feb 21, 2004)

Add about a teaspoon of honey to the cultures when you first make them and that will take care of most of the smell.


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## Maggotthegoat (Jan 29, 2010)

thanks ill give honey a shot i composted my stinky ones they wernt producing mabey its the yeast i was using bakers yeast opps


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## davecalk (Dec 17, 2008)

I use cinnamon to kill the smell. It's cheaper than honey and doesn't take a whole lot.

Dave


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## winyfrog (May 30, 2009)

Do you just sprinkle the cinnamon or put the honey on the top of the mixture?


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## fleshfrombone (Jun 15, 2008)

Cinnamon is also an anti fungal agent. People use them to disinfect the ends of orchids after they've been cut.


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## Leidig (Apr 10, 2009)

How much cinnamon do you put in a culture?


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## GregF (Sep 13, 2009)

Mine used to stink, too. Do you have plenty of larvae "churning" the top layer of media? I'm pretty sure that the yeast also (oddly enough) inhibits other fungi from taking hold. I've had cultures sit for as long as 6-8 weeks without smelling bad.

Of course, it's possible that they still stink, and I just don't smell it anymore.


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## winyfrog (May 30, 2009)

Mine don't start stinky until the are 2-3 weeks old.

Greg I think you are just use to it now


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## earthfrog (May 18, 2008)

Add more yeast---I use a tablespoon in each culture. I don't notice any smell unless I open the containers, and even then it smells like fruit and yeast. 

I use potato flakes, apple cider vinegar, a dollop of molasses and boiled water. I let that cool and add a tablespoon of baker's yeast on top, then I mash the excelsior well into the media. It has the consistency of applesauce. 
I leave it to cool on the counter before closing and freezing it to eliminate excess water in the culture.


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