# Albino Flies?



## SusannahJoy (Jul 3, 2006)

Hello! I've noticed recently that my cultures are producing albino flies. Has anyone else seen this? Is it ok to keep using these cultures, or should I get some new ones?


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## Jayson745 (Dec 13, 2006)

I thought I had albinos before and even refrigerated the culture to knock them out and seperate them thinking I'd start raising albinos. Once they were in the new culture for a little bit they colored up. I think some just look ghost white when they are in a certain mood or something.


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## donstr (Jun 21, 2007)

Those "albinos" are flies that have just come out of the pupal stage.


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## xm41907 (Nov 26, 2007)

Donstr is right, they are freshly emerged adults. The reason for this is that the chitin has not hardened yet. I can't remember the specifics, but chitin goes through a chemical process to harden, thus setting the exoskeleton in place. Many insects will look whitish when they freshly emerge as adults. Once the chitin hardens it also darkens. I'll try to find my insect physiology book to give the proper name to it.

James


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## SusannahJoy (Jul 3, 2006)

oh, nifty! thanks for the info!


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