# How do you 'deploy' Diatomaceous Earth?



## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

Always wanted to give Diatomaceous Earth a try.

I'm assuming to use 'Food Grade'.

How do YOU 'deploy' Diatomaceous Earth?


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## DPfarr (Nov 24, 2017)

I have a plastic shoe box with about 1” of DE for cultures to rest on.


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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

Yes, always 'food grade' (amorphous), which has a very low cancer risk if inhaled. DE sold for pool filter use (crystalline) has a high cancer risk if inhaled.

I take a cookie pan (with ~3/4 inch high sides), and lay about 1/4 inch of DE in the bottom. I then take 6 deli cups (short ones, but wide enough for FF cx cups to sit in), and arrange them on the DE. (These short cups I further spray with permethrin for an added layer of defense, but this might be unnecessary.) The FF cx cups sit in the short deli cups, so that I don't get DE all over my work table when I take out the DE cups to feed from.


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

So D.E is like tiny organic razor blades ? Both the silica AND the food grade?

The D.E cuts the mites and they die? or just dessicate (and hopefully die quickly)??

Does anyone worry if the frogs ingest even a tiny bit of D.E?


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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

Philsuma said:


> So D.E is like tiny organic razor blades ? Both the silica AND the food grade?
> 
> The D.E cuts the mites and they die? or just dessicate (and hopefully die quickly)??
> 
> Does anyone worry if the frogs ingest even a tiny bit of D.E?


Yes, both are razor blades. My understanding is that the DE makes many cuts in the outer protective waxy layer of insects (the "procuticle" -- thanks Wikipedia!) and causes the bugs to desiccate. 

The crystalline version does this, and also causes massive irritation in human lungs, which causes scarring and inflammation ("silicosis"), which in turn leads to cancer. 

As to frogs eating it: food grade silicon dioxide (DE) is allowed in human food up to 2% concentration. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfCFR/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=172.480


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## Broseph (Dec 5, 2011)

I only use a light dusting of food grade DE in my fruit fly incubator. Not enough to even be able to measure a depth. And each culture sits atop a small piece of light diffuser so I don't track the DE around when I handle the cultures. 

My vitamin dusting set up is similar; my dusting bowl is in a medium sized Tupperware container with DE. I never have to worry about losing flies when I dump them from culture to dusting bowl (at least during feeding and starting new cultures... they still escape the vivs).


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

Broseph said:


> I only use a light dusting of food grade DE in my fruit fly incubator. Not enough to even be able to measure a depth. And each culture sits atop a small piece of light diffuser so I don't track the DE around when I handle the cultures.
> 
> My vitamin dusting set up is similar; my dusting bowl is in a medium sized Tupperware container with DE. I never have to worry about losing flies when I dump them from culture to dusting bowl (at least during feeding and starting new cultures... they still escape the vivs).


won't mites still be able to use the diffuser as a highway and thus, avoid the DE beneath it?

I like the suggestion of inner cups in a small dusting of DE on a large tray. remove the FF CX from the inner cup which is still resting on the light layer/dusting of DE on a try (with mite paper underneath in my case for double prevention)


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## Broseph (Dec 5, 2011)

Philsuma said:


> won't mites still be able to use the diffuser as a highway and thus, avoid the DE beneath it?
> 
> I like the suggestion of inner cups in a small dusting of DE on a large tray. remove the FF CX from the inner cup which is still resting on the light layer/dusting of DE on a try (with mite paper underneath in my case for double prevention)


Each culture sits on an individual ~4x4" piece of diffuser. It's accomplishing the same thing as as the cups. 

I _think _mite paper has a limited life expectancy (I've never used it) so you'd have to replace it = messy? As long as it's dry, the DE lasts forever. I think. 

I should probably mention that my fly incubator is an insulated cabinet on top of my rack, heated by the viv lights. If I put my cultures directly on the cabinet surface, I think they get too warm. So for me, the diffuser pieces also function to add a little air insulation between the cultures and heat source.


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