FF culturing mess

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Ekaj13

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Ugh.

Just made two new fruit fly cultures. I've never had to deal with them before. I bought an already active culture in Phoenix over the weekend in anticipation of the mantids I ordered. This culture had a ton of the little bastards in it. When I opened it to pour some into the new ones I made I ended up with a ton of escapees.

I guess I should have done this over a larger container. How do you guys pour out your flies?

Jake

 
Jake Goldbogen said:
Ugh. Just made two new fruit fly cultures. I've never had to deal with them before. I bought an already active culture in Phoenix over the weekend in anticipation of the mantids I ordered. This culture had a ton of the little bastards in it. When I opened it to pour some into the new ones I made I ended up with a ton of escapees. I guess I should have done this over a larger container. How do you guys pour out your flies?Jake
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Hiya there. This just takes practice really. What kind of Fruit Fly were they (hydei, flightless mels or wingless mels)? I hope they weren't the wingless mels, they are the ones that look like ants and walk and can't "fly" at all. These are easy to pour into the new FF cup, so if your having problems with these then the flightless FF (they hop) ones are going to be even worse. :eek:

There's two ways to handle the flightless mels (hoppers) IMO. I either just deal with the fact that some are going to get out. Once you get used to it, you can do it fast and lose very few. Any that get out, just squish. Or put them in the fridge for several minutes which will slow them down greatlly then transfer them. They will hop, but alot less or any at all will get out. The cold won't effect them as far as I know, they will lay eggs and breed mad crazy as usual.

I'm new here also, but have bred FF's for awhile now. Their "fun" to culture IMO after you get the hang of it. What kind of mantis did you purchase?

 
I use the fridge method a lot. In my opinion it's extremely helpful in preventing escapees. Just pop the ff container into the fridge for about 5 minutes, and they'll be "stunned/sleeping" for about 2 minutes once you take them out. I just try to work quickly to get as much dispensing done as possible before they start stirring!

I also rotate ff cups.... when I take one out of the fridge, I put another one in at the same time to cool while I'm feeding from the first cup, and so on. Just don't get distracted and forget you put them in there. They don't do too well when you suddenly remember... 2 hours later. :eek:

And like Jeff said above... it's a matter of practice. It won't take very long before you'll get the hang of it and be a top notch fruit fly wrangler! ;) Hang in there!

 
Katnapper said:
I use the fridge method a lot. In my opinion it's extremely helpful in preventing escapees. Just pop the ff container into the fridge for about 5 minutes, and they'll be "stunned/sleeping" for about 2 minutes once you take them out. I just try to work quickly to get as much dispensing done as possible before they start stirring! I also rotate ff cups.... when I take one out of the fridge, I put another one in at the same time to cool while I'm feeding from the first cup, and so on. Just don't get distracted and forget you put them in there. They don't do too well when you suddenly remember... 2 hours later. :eek: And like Jeff said above... it's a matter of practice. It won't take very long before you'll get the hang of it and be a top notch fruit fly wrangler! ;) Hang in there!
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I wondered if the FF's would live if left in the fridge for more than an ample amount of time last week. So I experimented. I thought that they would easily die......nope! I put a culture of wingless mels in the fridge before work and took them out after I remembered they were even in there later that night. :rolleyes: It was a total of 15 hours. I took them out, placed it on a table, and one nap later they were walking as usual. The culture is doing perfectly fine right now and it was over a week ago easily. I wouldn't suggest it of course. The media would probably dry out or the ones with wings might act differently for some reason, but if forgotten for an ample amount of time there's a good chance their still alive. :)

 
Yes, I agree I've had them spring back to life after hours forgotten (oops!). But not everyone's fridge temps. are the same. Actually, the time I killed mine was in the wintertime (temps. likely below freezing) when I was opening the bug room window and sticking them out on the ledge before I got a mini fridge for the bug room. It worked great... unless I forgot they were out there!
BonkMyselfontheHead.gif


 
Katnapper said:
I use the fridge method a lot. In my opinion it's extremely helpful in preventing escapees. Just pop the ff container into the fridge for about 5 minutes, and they'll be "stunned/sleeping" for about 2 minutes once you take them out. I just try to work quickly to get as much dispensing done as possible before they start stirring!

I also rotate ff cups.... when I take one out of the fridge, I put another one in at the same time to cool while I'm feeding from the first cup, and so on. Just don't get distracted and forget you put them in there. They don't do too well when you suddenly remember... 2 hours later. :eek:

And like Jeff said above... it's a matter of practice. It won't take very long before you'll get the hang of it and be a top notch fruit fly wrangler! ;) Hang in there!
Click to expand...
So nice to see you posting again, Becky! :)

As above, but here are two more thoughts that might help. Putt a feeding vent -- a 1" hole -- in the side of your mantis cups (I put another in the center of the lid, it only takes a few seconds with a sharp pair of scissors), and stop them with sponge bungs. When you have chilled your flies, unbung one port, stick a plastic funnel in and drop the flies into it. You can quickly insert a lot of flies that way, and it is hard for them to escape while you are doing so.

Even my modest cell has a timer. Just set it to repeat every few minute (snooze) and it will continue to remind you to remove the next pot of flies from the fridge.

 
PhilinYuma said:
So nice to see you posting again, Becky! :)

As above, but here are two more thoughts that might help. Putt a feeding vent -- a 1" hole -- in the side of your mantis cups (I put another in the center of the lid, it only takes a few seconds with a sharp pair of scissors), and stop them with sponge bungs. When you have chilled your flies, unbung one port, stick a plastic funnel in and drop the flies into it. You can quickly insert a lot of flies that way, and it is hard for them to escape while you are doing so.

Even my modest cell has a timer. Just set it to repeat every few minute (snooze) and it will continue to remind you to remove the next pot of flies from the fridge.
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Thanks, Phil! :)

Do try the feeding vent if you're inclined. But I wouldn't cut holes in all your cups right away until you try it for a bit with just one or two... and decide you like it, or it makes things easier for you. I tried it for a bit and could never get to the point of liking it. It wasn't easier for me... just more laborious, and I didn't like it at all. I ended up using the cups I'd modified that way as shipping containers just to get rid of them. I'm glad for those who like the hole method if it works for them. But it's subjective... whatever works best for you. ;)

 
Cool them down or do like I do. I cut a small hole in the side and block it with a foam plug. I can then remove the plug and tap them out. I learned a long time ago that trying to tap them out after cracking the lid on a 32 oz insect cup is NOT the best way.

 
I do what Oasis does just tip the jar and tip a few out at a time no big deal I use jars of every shape I can think of for cultures.I do think I'm gonna buy a small funnel today.

 
I knock the jar a few times before I open it so that they are at the bottom, loose, and a little stunned. I find they pour out easier that way.

I usually use canning jars, But I have used 2 liter bottles, and the bottle neck is VERY covienent for applying FFs to other containers.

I also have a 2 liter bottle neck glued onto a canning jar ring that I use for small crickets in canning jars to apply the crickets to small jars.

 

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