# DIY fruit fly cultures



## Aholbrook (Nov 22, 2018)

I’ve done some reading on the Internet and can’t make up my mind if I should try to make my own mix or by the fruit fly mix from a company any opinions? Pros cons such as better cultures just looking into different options. I know it is easier to just order the mix but are there any advantages to making your own thank you for your opinions or facts in advance.


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## Scott (Feb 17, 2004)

Make your own. I've been doing so for 20 years. I have better production from this recipe than anything I've ever bought.

To make the media I use 7 parts potato FLAKES
, 1 part powdered sugar
, 1 to 1.5 part brewers yeast. 
, 2 tablespoons cinnamon

Store in plastic tupperware. Shake it up good.

When its time to make some ff cultures I use (in THIS order ... )
1/4 white vineagar then 
1/3 cup of media then 
1/4 boiling hot water. 

I put in vinegar first, then media, then hot water. 

I don't know if the order matters but it works. Mix it all together to make it viscous like runny applesauce. ( sometimes I add a tiny bit more water during summer months). Paper plate (not waxed) sliced up a bit, or whatever YOU use for larvae staging, and about 50 melo ff from a 2 week old culture. I don't touch it for 2 full weeks and set it aside seperate from other cultures. I make new cultures religiously every Sunday from an unused 2week culture. I use 16 oz plastic cups w/ vented lids (most use 32 oz cups).


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## johnachilli (Feb 8, 2007)

Scott said:


> Make your own. I've been doing so for 20 years. I have better production from this recipe than anything I've ever bought.
> 
> To make the media I use 7 parts potato FLAKES
> , 1 part powdered sugar
> ...


I agree with Scott and do pretty much the same thing. Except I go 2 parts brewers yeast and I dont use vinegar but rather Methyl Paraben to combat mold.

If the cultures start to get dry I add additional water into them, it can really extend their production time. This time of year it is almost mandatory I have to add water at some point or they will get dry out and totally crash.


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## Scott (Feb 17, 2004)

The original recipe only called for 1 part brewers yeast. I think 2 parts would be good as well - just definitely more than 1.

I've never had any issues with mold (knock on wood). I've heard elsewhere that MP can decrease yield.

I do add water as needed. This time of year I'll sprinkle in a bit after I move a culture from developing to use.

s


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## S2G (Jul 5, 2016)

Scott has good advice.

I'll add though. Repashy has a better nutrient profile and is considered by most as the gold standard. You can't replicate this and still store it effectively at the cost superfly is sold for.

A typical Carolina style recipe will get the job done. I use to make my own when I had numerous tanks, but I have a fraction of that now. It's cheaper and easier to buy ready made instead. Your own is only cost effective if you buy ingredients in bulk which is a higher up front cost then you have to store it.

Making new cultures from multiple old ones make crashes pretty much a thing of the past.
https://www.dendroboard.com/forum/food-feeding/42419-genetics-ff-culturing.html


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## Aholbrook (Nov 22, 2018)

Scott your awesome thanks


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## Aholbrook (Nov 22, 2018)

Getting ready to purchase ingredients 😅


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## Aholbrook (Nov 22, 2018)

Do I need a different mix if I use Heidi fruit flies


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## Scott (Feb 17, 2004)

The mix I use raises both of them just fine. 

s


Aholbrook said:


> Do I need a different mix if I use Heidi fruit flies


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## Aholbrook (Nov 22, 2018)

Ok great thanks.


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## davecalk (Dec 17, 2008)

Aholbrook said:


> Do I need a different mix if I use Heidi fruit flies


Same mix, but due to the longer breeding time I double the recipe, (the amount put into the jar.


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## salvz (Nov 3, 2014)

Having made my own cultures for years with a similar recipe and recently trying Repashy, I can say that for me the Repashy mix is hard to beat. While production is similar, IME, the Repashy cultures tends to last longer, smell better, and as pointed out the mix is very well enriched.


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## ds51 (Oct 13, 2017)

Scott said:


> To make the media I use 7 parts potato FLAKES
> , 1 part powdered sugar
> , 1 to 1.5 part brewers yeast.
> , 2 tablespoons cinnamon
> ...


 is the vinegar and the hot water are they cup or spoon measurement


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## ds51 (Oct 13, 2017)

this is the one I am using at the moment 
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fruit-Fl...var=420238200530&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649


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## Scott (Feb 17, 2004)

Should be the same?

I use a measuring spoon (1/4 cup vinegar - 1/3 cup mixed media - 1/4 cup hot water).

s


ds51 said:


> is the vinegar and the hot water are they cup or spoon measurement


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## ds51 (Oct 13, 2017)

Scott said:


> To make the media I use 7 parts potato FLAKES
> , 1 part powdered sugar
> , 1 to 1.5 part brewers yeast.
> , 2 tablespoons cinnamon
> ...


how many cultures do you get out of this media mix


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## tropfrog (Sep 6, 2018)

I use baby banana porridge as the base for my DIY media. It works well and I would assume that the nutritional value is a lot better than in potato flakes. Althou I have never heard of that product before 

one package of banana porridge powder mixes with i package of dry yeast and some of the expired vitamin dusting powder. 

When setting cultures:

1/2 dl oat flakes
3/4 dl of the banana porridge blend.
some ground cinneamon
some vinegaressence
1,5 dl cold water.

Sorry about the metrics guys, that is how we do it here.

I have used this mix for a year now. It is fast and easy to do, cheap, produces a lot of flies and almost odour less. I would guess that the nutritional value is good enough as well.

BR
Magnus


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## ds51 (Oct 13, 2017)

Scott said:


> Make your own. I've been doing so for 20 years. I have better production from this recipe than anything I've ever bought.
> 
> To make the media I use 7 parts potato FLAKES
> , 1 part powdered sugar
> ...


when you make the cultures you say you use 
1 to 1.5 part brewers yeast is that a spoonful or do you use a packet of brewers yeast


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## Serafim (Mar 29, 2017)

The packets are more than likely bakers yeast. Not the same. If you were measuring out everything in say a 32 oz cup each cup would be a part. Hope that makes sense


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## ds51 (Oct 13, 2017)

Serafim said:


> The packets are more than likely bakers yeast. Not the same. If you were measuring out everything in say a 32 oz cup each cup would be a part. Hope that makes sense


thanks for that I understand the measuring out part
its just that I use beer yeast to make homebrew 
this is in a 5 gram packet that you sprinkle on top of the beer you are making did not know if this was ok to use
see photo of what I use for beer making


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## Elisabluh (Aug 2, 2019)

I just tried this recipe: 

1 cup banana (about 2 bananas)
1 cup apple sauce
1 Tablespoon vinegar
2 cups oat meal

And I don't know if it's going to work or not, stay tuned, but... it tastes delicious.  Couldn't resist trying some....


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## Dr.frogthumb (Jan 1, 2019)

How long does the media last for once its set in the deli cup with larva and ff's? Looks pretty simple, been buying cultures for about 6 months lol definitley gonna have to give this a try.


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## Groot (May 27, 2018)

Dr.frogthumb said:


> How long does the media last for once its set in the deli cup with larva and ff's? Looks pretty simple, been buying cultures for about 6 months lol definitley gonna have to give this a try.


I'm too new to fruit fly culturing, so I'm not really qualified to answer...but the answer I have seen time and again is four weeks. Over time, the media gains too much waste and then sours or spoils. It won't support the larger populations and the numbers quickly drop off. Eventually, a total crash occurs.


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## kimcmich (Jan 17, 2016)

Greetings,

I purchase FF cultures from Josh's Frogs every ~5 weeks and the cultures produce flies for ~4-5 weeks after I get them. If you add-in the time between seeding the culture and the first generation of flies, that means the cultures last ~6-7 weeks from the time they are started. Of that 6-7 weeks, I see ~4 weeks of good fly production for most cultures with rare "magic" ones going as long 5-6 weeks.


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

Never keep a fly culture more than 4 weeks. Get rid of it.

5 weeks and older, almost always is when the grain mites blow up.


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## Pugwinkleca (Sep 13, 2019)

Elisabluh said:


> I just tried this recipe:
> 
> 1 cup banana (about 2 bananas)
> 1 cup apple sauce
> ...


How did your recipe turn out? Did you get many flies?


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## Tijl (Feb 28, 2019)

Ive been using this very good recipe for a years now, since my older recipe gave to much smell and mite : 

For D. Hydei (13cups/100gr ea) : 

650ml water
500gr oatmeal
1/2 banana
100ml natural vinigar (this keeps the mite away)
50ml grenadine

Just mix it all together, consistancy of this mix will be on point.



For D.Melanogaster (10cups/80gr ea) : 

450ml water
1/2 banana
50ml natural vinigar
50ml grenadine
mix this together while adding wholeweat (Brinta) until It become very solid and you can put your spoon straight up in the mix 

The melanogaster mix gets more fluid over time, so you want it to be realy solid. 




3 weeks later : https://youtu.be/Ar3RPSOAGTs



Enjoy your cooking


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