# Mites and Fruit Flies



## jkinsey (Oct 7, 2004)

What can be done to get rid of mites and also prevent them from starting up again?


----------



## dmartin72 (Oct 27, 2004)

Derik at FlyCulture.com sells the following:

0.10 % Benzyl Benzoate Solution (MSDS): Benzyl Benzoate is very effect in preventing the spread of mites. Simply use treated paper towels or fine cloth as a liner for your cultures. This product destroys mites on contact by damaging the nervous system.

0.01% Benzyl Benzoate Solution 125 ml for $9.25 each.


----------



## Michelle (Sep 13, 2004)

Good to know, right now we keep our fly jars in about an 1" of water to prevent the spread of mites, but the paper towel might be easier...
Michelle


----------



## Guest (Jan 14, 2005)

i've heard that ant killing powder works


----------



## jkinsey (Oct 7, 2004)

I haven't heard anything about ant powder but the first method seems like it would work nicely. Maybe I will see if I can get it locally or just orer it online. They annoying little things that spread like crazy. I hate them!!!! Thanks again for the info.


----------



## JERRY (Dec 14, 2004)

*MITES*

A necessary evil. Its usually a question of time before you come into contact with these movable white dots. Fortunately they are not predators that attack the fly. Its bad enough when the attack the offspring. The easiest way to control their population (notice I say control not get rid of) is to provide a chemical treatment internally as well as what is called: Rapid transfer. What this means is simply set up a culture or several with the infected flies, medicate, and after two to three days move out the flies into a new clean culture. By doing this a couple of times you will be leaving behind most of the mites and continuously reducing the population until they go back into their sleep mode. Problems associated with mites are very difficult to get a handle on as we do not know if the infestation is greater on the outside than the inside. 

We certainly have the chemicals (internal medications) that will eliminate most of the mites, but the answer is making very certain that you buy flies from a reputable dealer, keeping your cultures clean, and getting into the habit of throwing out cultures before they begin to sour out. Hope this info helps. JERRY


----------



## Jace King (May 5, 2004)

This damn post just jinxed me. i went upstairs looked around and found a culture aboslutely covered. I took the culture and shook off the mites in all my smaller frog tanks. Usually i then take the culture and put it outside for a 15 to 20 minutes. Extreme sun or cold seems to stop the mite for some reason. Maybe it does or doesnt but mites never stick around in major numberd forever in my experience.


----------



## JERRY (Dec 14, 2004)

*MITES*

JACE, apparently, you may have a substantial infestation outside of your cultures. If you have any plants or your floor has rugs, that may be the source for them to live in. They can maintain their dormancy for several months before waking up. 
Their are a variety of reasons for them to wake up! JERRY


----------



## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

I've heard of some kind of adhesive paper that is coated with insecticide that will kill escaped FFs and presumably mites also. Might not alleviate the problem completely, but would probably slow any continuous contamination.


----------



## JERRY (Dec 14, 2004)

*MITE PAPER*

It is my opinion, that it does not work well at all. Certainly we had the opportunity to carry it many years ago as a shelving paper for our own cultures. We found that the chemicals that we offer are more cost effective and do the job more efficiently. Once these shelving rolls are exposed to the air, they begin to loose their effacy and you never know if they are working or not. Secondly, I did not like the idea of a chemical on a shelving paper being exposed to hands or eyes or even the odor that it produced. 
The most efficient chemical used for controlling and eliminating mites is called Tedion solution. We sell it, we use it, and most universities throughout the country that have mite problems (and they all do!) use Tedion.


----------



## Guest (Jan 15, 2005)

*Miticidal Shelf Paper*

I disagree with Jerry here. Although, I agree that other miticides are necessary at times - miticidal shelf paper is an excellent prophylactic that does not require adding any chemicals to your cultures - which in turn keeps them out of your frogs. If you don't have a mite problem a miticidal shelf paper will help you from getting one. If you have one, it will keep it from spreading to your other cultures. 

Derek


----------



## Jace King (May 5, 2004)

I think my problem is in some way linked to spiders. The spiders catch tons of flies and they lay there in the web all drained and stuff. The cultures then are near the webs and the mites jump from the dead flies to live cultures. The problem never gets to the point of hampering my feeding so i dont freak out and just keep movin on. But yes the mites are here to stay for me i think. Without a complete overhall i dont see it completey clearing up.


----------



## Guest (Jan 15, 2005)

Jace,

The situation you have is a perfect example in which the miticidal shelf paper would help. An external mite contamination can't be controled effectively by an internal miticide. I would try removing all of the spiders/webs with either a vacuum and/or moist paper towels and then lining your culture shelves with the paper. I think that you'll be pleased with the results.

Derek


----------



## Jace King (May 5, 2004)

Thanks Derek,
I do clean the webs, once a week usually. Im not as good as i should be. I like to feed spiders so i tend to put up with them really well, i need to post a photo of them for id tomorrow(nothting to do with this just curious you got me thinking)
I dont mind going on a rampage, to eliminate all i can. i should also check out some mite paper which im sure i will eventually.
Im sending you a pm, with some other questions concerning new feeders you have tommorow.


----------



## JERRY (Dec 14, 2004)

*MITES*

JACE, if the infestation is substantial on the outside, its just a question of time before it will become endemic on the inside. In either case if you use treated shelf papers or not, "once perceived, will be often received"


----------



## ChrisMc (Mar 7, 2004)

I have noticed mites only on my older cultures and there is so few that I can count them. They have been this way for several months. Do most people just live with them and treat if they become a plague? I dont see how you could fully eradicate them without fumigating the house.


----------



## JERRY (Dec 14, 2004)

*MITES*

You can control them, and to a certain degree eliminate a population, but their there to stay. In many instances the mites are a necessary nusiance. They live side by side with the fly. No one is immune from their appearance. It just depends how much of a problem YOU want to allow them to become. They dont effect the adult flies, nor do they hurt the frogs, but the do migrate and populate and if not controlled can lead to an edemic infestation within and out of the cultures, your plants, rugs, room , etc.


----------



## Colorcham427 (Jan 18, 2010)

Does the water thing work the best? Seems that would work the best since it is so cheap and right at home?

I thought mites were airborne...? anyways, I am still deciding what to do...

I am going to start putting my cultures in a large cabinet. Is it a bad idea to have the cultures on top of another? Literally stacked? I have done this before but just curious if it is a bad idea or not? Having 7 other cultures on top of one culture, that too heavy?


----------



## bobzarry (Mar 2, 2005)

Never let your cultures touch. That is a sure way to have the mites move from culture to culture.


----------



## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

1. Do not stack or even allow cutlures to touch.

2. Keep them on a tray lined with blue mite paper. 

When people keep the cultures in a cabinet or box of some type...that facilitates the mites locomotion. A cabinet can become a highway and then a nightmare with it's crooks and corners and potential hideaways for the mites to walk and travel on....

Simple is best....the tray....cultures not touching.

Water "moats" is overdoing it IMO and the fuss and effort for that becomes deminishing returns.

GREAT thread ressurection !


----------

