# fruitfly meduim colouring



## rickyc666 (Jun 17, 2006)

I would like to add colouring to my fruitfly medium as so of you guys mention.

Is there any colourings with dangerous ingredients to avoid?

i.e. what is safe to use

cheers


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## Rick (Jun 17, 2006)

Why do you want to add color? Just wondering.


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## Jay (Jun 17, 2006)

Your question made me think, rickyc666.

I suppose the addition of food coloring depends upon its purpose. I would recommend something dark like blue or green. I use blue or green food coloring to monitor the larvae development better but now that I have the breeding of fruitflies down I might exclude the food coloring.


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## rickyc666 (Jun 19, 2006)

For the Reason that Jay mentioned.

I bought a wild type culter recently that came with blue coloured medium. it was good as i could see all the larvae. It made it easy to monitor the quantity of them.

Just worried about any dangerous ingredients in normal colourings. Although they are safe for humans, may not be for insects.


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## Rick (Jun 19, 2006)

Ok. I always wondered why coloring was used. I can see the larvae just fine without it. I would think food coloring would be fine to use.


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## rickyc666 (Jun 19, 2006)

Ok cheers,

i think ill get some today and try it out.


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## infinity (Jun 19, 2006)

I would imagine that most are safe as Rick says... some perhaps moreso than others- carotene (from carrots) - is orange, natural and should be safe... coccineal from 'effectively' ladybirds (ladybugs) is red and also should be... Potentially, if you liquidise grass, you could get the chrophyll to get a green dye which would also be safe.

Colours I personally would avoid would be blue and yellow as these 'tend' to be artificial

Having said that, in my lab, they use grape juice - but I've also heard of blueberry juice (Ribena!)  - blue seems to give the best contrast so out of those, I personally would go with grape/ blueberry - both natural and safe


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