# Fruit fly culture mix



## Peloquin (Aug 10, 2005)

Does anyone know where I can buy the stuff they make a fruit fly culture from in the UK?

Cheers

Failing that, what is the best stuff to use to make my own?

Ta folks.


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## Ian (Aug 10, 2005)

I think this post already exists....


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## Peloquin (Aug 10, 2005)

Done a search on here and cant find it.

Can you link me to it please?


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## lorriekay56 (Aug 15, 2005)

*You can make your own. cover the jar with netting. ( I use knee high stockings)*


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## lorriekay56 (Aug 15, 2005)

Culture mix:

1 cup of mashed potatoes, 2 tbp. sugar and a pinch of YEAST.


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## garbonzo13 (Aug 15, 2005)

Will it mold? If it does what do you do for that?


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## Rick (Aug 16, 2005)

I made my own and it did mold. The commercially bought stuff has mold inhibitor in it.


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## Orin (Aug 21, 2005)

I've got a huge jar of mold inhibitor you're welcome to buy cheap. I was sold on the mold inhibitor for many years but two years ago I stopped using it and it didn't make a difference.

1/2 cup instant potato flakes

1/2 cup water. The amount of water is adjusted depending on your ambient humidity and airflow. Somewhat dry medium slows and stops fly production while too much moisture and all the medium falls out when you try to shake out the flies.

Put mixture in a large deli cup (32oz?) covered with a coffee filter or prefab filter lid and place a 1" slice of apple on top of the potato.

Fruit flies can breed at lower temps but 80-90F will improve production.

When the first puparium is seen take 1 paper towel, make into a ball and toss on medium. Production if often very low without this because many puparium and adults drown sight unseen. The larger species, D.hydei is kept the same but is much slower.


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## garbonzo13 (Aug 21, 2005)

Orin, whats the papertowel for? Easy transfer to another container to increase culture production? thanks for the info.


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## Orin (Aug 21, 2005)

The paper towel prevents the majority of puparium and adults from suffocating in the medium.


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## Executor of Fruit Flies (Aug 27, 2005)

Copied from a previous post:

I'm currently trying out apple vinegar as an inhibitor. Any vinegar will work though. It seems to work fine. It's been two weeks and no mold. I just didn't want to mail order for anything right now. The recipe I'm using, from anaspid.org, is:

1 cup banana

1 cup apple sauce

2 cups oatmeal

1 tablespoon vinegar

Just mash it all up together real good. Production isn't as good as the store bought culture I had before, but probably because I used netting instead of paper towels as extra climbing/pupating space.

Edit: replaced netting with paper towels and production increased significantly.

I like to use gatorade bottles with a piece of sponge on the top, as I find this easier to work with than a deli cup with a circular sponge stopper.


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