# What to do with excess fruit flies?



## Smurf (Nov 29, 2014)

Basically, what is the best way to kill them? I'm not sure if releasing them into the wild is a big no no or if I should just drown them.


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## aspidites73 (Oct 2, 2012)

couple drops of dish soap in the toilet, followed by flies. Flush. Repeat if necessary.


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

You can use them to start new cultures. You can also just toss them outside.


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

Smurf said:


> Basically, what is the best way to kill them? I'm not sure if releasing them into the wild is a big no no or if I should just drown them.


I flush 'em. DON'T release then into your local ecosystem.


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## gary1218 (Dec 31, 2005)

It's into the freezer for me


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

you can release them without harm. the flies you culture have harmful or deleterious mutations; things that are not selected for, and not advantageous. 

Nothing bad will happen if you release them outside. And if you release them somewhere not tropical, they'll just end up dieing anyway.


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## epiphytes etc. (Nov 22, 2010)

Do you have any fish?


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## sarasmiles (Sep 5, 2012)

If you do release them outside, be careful not to do it too close to your home. I made that mistake once, and I had about 100 flies walk back in through the pet door!! Oops!


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## thumbnail (Sep 18, 2005)

I feed my fish and even the ornamental shrimp munch on the ones that drown. Another option is get you a few of the really small species of day geckos they will keep you in check on fly number.


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

hypostatic said:


> you can release them without harm. Whetherthe flies you culture have harmful or deleterious mutations; things that are not selected for, and not advantageous.
> 
> Nothing bad will happen if you release them outside. And if you release them somewhere not tropical, they'll just end up dieing anyway.


The selective mutations can be reversed within a few generations under certain circumstances. Ever had wingless flies suddenly become fliers within a culture? 
Your local agricultural agencies might also take a closer look at the potential impact that keeping "harmless" insects and animals may be having on nearby flora and fauna if word gets back that you are dumping pest species in your yard.


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## Polypodium (Jan 3, 2011)

Dane said:


> Your local agricultural agencies might also take a closer look at the potential impact that keeping "harmless" insects and animals may be having on nearby flora and fauna if word gets back that you are dumping pest species in your yard.


Respectfully, I would bet that any local agricultural agency couldn't care less if someone dumped a culture of fruit flies in their front or back yard.


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

Dane said:


> The selective mutations can be reversed within a few generations under certain circumstances. Ever had wingless flies suddenly become fliers within a culture?
> Your local agricultural agencies might also take a closer look at the potential impact that keeping "harmless" insects and animals may be having on nearby flora and fauna if word gets back that you are dumping pest species in your yard.


You are misinformed. Mutations don't just "reverse". The "fliers" that sometimes show up in cultures happen because that mutation is temperature sensitive, see these discussions:

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/beginner-discussion/53118-flying-fruit-flys.html
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/food-feeding/72913-here-my-ff-culturing-method.html

These mutations have been well-characterized and understood, you can read more about it here:
Interactive Fly, Drosophila
Interactive Fly, Drosophila

And as far as worrying about their effect on flora and fauna...
1 - drosophila's range extends to every continent except Antarctica, so you won't be bringing anything novel into the environment.
2 - the amount you're putting into the environment is insignificant, especially compared to your local supermarkets.


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## Smurf (Nov 29, 2014)

Great idea with the fish! Although I doubt they can eat that many flies.

Quick question about the culture I bought: I see full grown fruit flies, white larvae crawling around, and dark larvae motionless attached to the sides. Are the dark pods getting ready to turn into adult flies? There are a TON of them. I had no idea just how many flies these cultures put out.

The cultures I made look a little dry to me. Kind of the consistency damp sand at the beach rather than soupy wet. How wet should it be? I followed a recipe but it just seems dry.


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## thumbnail (Sep 18, 2005)

I breed cherry barb, angelfish, dwarf cichlids, and ornamental shrimp. I would be willing to bet in the 10 aquariums I have set up they can take down several cultures worth a day. I even mash them up and sink them for my shrimp, and the otto's eat them also.


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## Sktdvs14 (Oct 20, 2014)

Smurf - just offer them up to a local frogger. I'm sure they would be happy to take some off your hands.


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

hypostatic said:


> You are misinformed. Mutations don't just "reverse". The "fliers" that sometimes show up in cultures happen because that mutation is temperature sensitive, see these discussions:
> 
> And as far as worrying about their effect on flora and fauna...
> 1 - drosophila's range extends to every continent except Antarctica, so you won't be bringing anything novel into the environment.
> 2 - the amount you're putting into the environment is insignificant, especially compared to your local supermarkets.


So when a recessive trait or mutation (like wingless, or flightless), is no longer present in significant enough frequency within a population to be expressed, what would you call that? I'm well aware that a wingless adult fly will not "grow" wings.

Do whatever the you want, but throwing living components of your hobby into the wind sets a BAD precedent. Chytrid has become established in several places in the US. Does this mean that it is no longer irresponsible to release Bd positive animals into the wild?


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## MWAInverts (Oct 7, 2014)

Don't even know why we're debating this. 

#1 extra flies should be given away or made into new cultures  I hate wasting lives...

#2 captive living material, even if present in your natural environment, should NEVER be released into said environment, it is irresponsible to do so.


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

You can't compare chytrid to fruit flies.

Unless you've never had a fly escape while making a culture, or never had a fly escape from a viv, you've also released flies into the local environment. Everyone in the hobby does, knowingly or not.

If you're worried about _pathogens_, unless you're keeping your vivs in some sort of clean room, and you're using meticulous sterile technique when dealing with your frogs/cultures, you're also spreading bacteria, fungal spores, and small invertebrates like springtails into your local environment, unknowingly.

If you've ever traveled to another country, and not discarded of *every piece* of clothing/footwear that you've worn in between each country, you've done the same exact thing you're worried about avoiding.

My point is, releasing some of your fruit flies is insignificant -- you're not adding anything new to the environment, and the amount that you would be adding to the environment is infinitesimal compared to grocery stores and other places that import fruit en masse.


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

hypostatic said:


> You can't compare chytrid to fruit flies.
> 
> Unless you've never had a fly escape while making a culture, or never had a fly escape from a viv, you've also released flies into the local environment. Everyone in the hobby does, knowingly or not.
> 
> ...


There's a difference between what happens inadvertently, and what happens intentionally. Like I said, do what you want, hopefully it's just a drop in the bucket, as you surmise.


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

I mean, I really understand your concerns over there in CA. Here in NJ though, I've had cultures that have died from being too close to the windows during the winter; once they're outside they're DEAD lol.


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## slimninj4 (Dec 31, 2013)

I just leave them outside until the culture is dead. Then I clean out and store until next use.


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## Smurf (Nov 29, 2014)

I just removed HUNDREDS of fruit flies from the producing culture that I bought and there are still HUNDREDS of flies left in the culture along with HUNDREDS of larvae on the sides of the container. How many do I need to remove to be safe from a culture crash?

I also fed a couple dozen to my fish, but I didn't realize how much the stay on top of the water. Do you think next time if I put them in a container of water and shake it up first they will sink when I add it back to my tank? I currently have a few dozen struggling fruit flies on the surface of my tank water.

EDIT: I just tossed them out the door into a snowbank and they are all dead... I won't do that in the summer.


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