Lolz at fruit fly genetics...

[sbugir]

Flightless FFs + Wingless FFs = Flying ffs!

Is this because flying is a dominate trait in fruit flies? If that's the case, wings must be too, otherwise how would the offspring have wings...? Ahhh weird stuff!

 

[PhilinYuma]

Flightless FFs + Wingless FFs = Flying ffs!Is this because flying is a dominate trait in fruit flies? If that's the case, wings must be too, otherwise how would the offspring have wings...? Ahhh weird stuff!

My genetics are pretty sketchy, but it is possible that the reversion of a flightless/wingless strain of ff's to the "wild" type, doesn't depend on dominant or recessive genes per se. An isolated community with genetic alteration (inbred) will always (so far as I know), revert to type (outbred) over time, in this case wild ffs. For me, there is an even higher risk that my mutated strains will be contaminated by the more fecund wild ffs that are always welcome in my apartment and love to sneak into a pot of flightless mels. This last process can become speeded up when a population of mutated flies is stressed by the cuture "wearing out," or any other reason. In such a situation, inbred ffs are likely to die out (genetic erosion), leaving only outbred "wild" individuals.

As always, if anyone has a better explanation,. I'd like to hear it.

 

[sbugir]

But, none were wild, I just mixed two cultures together because I need to make more cultures out of it... the flightless were bought at scales n tails (rep store) and the wingless were bought at petco... in those icky containers lol. But I think your info is definitely correct, but since (for all i know) there was not any wild ff intervention, is it possible that the wingless ffs carry the flying trait, and the flightless (obviously have wings lol) carry the wings over to the offspring?

 

[PhilinYuma]

But, none were wild, I just mixed two cultures together because I need to make more cultures out of it... the flightless were bought at scales n tails (rep store) and the wingless were bought at petco... in those icky containers lol. But I think your info is definitely correct, but since (for all i know) there was not any wild ff intervention, is it possible that the wingless ffs carry the flying trait, and the flightless (obviously have wings lol) carry the wings over to the offspring?

Yep!

 

[sbugir]

lol that's so dumb, you'd think that flightless and wingless would lead to never being able to fly again -.-

 

[Rick]

I've found that all flightless/wingless ff's will eventually be able to fly if you go through enough generations.

 

[sbugir]

Weird, so wingless grow wings? I've gone through a few generations with the vials (my flightless) but i recently bought these wingless...then again they could have been sitting there for god knows how long. Still though, it's strange.

 

[Rick]

Weird, so wingless grow wings? I've gone through a few generations with the vials (my flightless) but i recently bought these wingless...then again they could have been sitting there for god knows how long. Still though, it's strange.

Right now I have what used to be wingless and flightless. Both are flying now after only a couple months. Time to replace them.

 

[sbugir]

Yeah, I'm thinking it's the same for me too, shame, they're pretty expensive.

 

[Katnapper]

No need to replace.... the flying ones work great! They reach more mantids more often, and reproduce faster too.

 

[PhilinYuma]

lol that's so dumb, you'd think that flightless and wingless would lead to never being able to fly again -.-

I remember that when I was in the fish hobby, folks would spend a fortune on new livebearer (guppies, swordtails) strains and then, if they simply inbred them, they'd see their strain revert to the wild type.

 

[Rick]

No need to replace.... the flying ones work great! They reach more mantids more often, and reproduce faster too.

I agree but the extra step I have to take of sticking them in the freezer is enough to make me want to replace them.

 

[kamakiri]

What happens is that the genes required to fly get patched in by the other populations (filest without the same genetic defect), wether recessive or dominant. Recessive traits would appear to 'go away' much faster through successive generations.

 

[Katnapper]

I agree but the extra step I have to take of sticking them in the freezer is enough to make me want to replace them.

I don't even use the fridge or freezer anymore. I use phototropism to corral them all to the back side of the net cage I keep them in. Then when I open the zipper on the near (darker) side, hardly any escape. Of course this is in my bug room where incidences of escapees aren't met by annoyed or outraged mothers, husbands, or any other family members, hehe.

 

[PhilinYuma]

I don't even use the fridge or freezer anymore. I use phototropism to corral them all to the back side of the net cage I keep them in. Then when I open the zipper on the near (darker) side, hardly any escape. Of course this is in my bug room where incidences of escapees aren't met by annoyed or outraged mothers, husbands, or any other family members, hehe.

Perfect, isn't it? If my mel cultures are running low, I can just put out a pot with some banana in it, and its full in no time!

 

[Katnapper]

Perfect, isn't it?

Definitely works for me!

 

[spicey]

No need to replace.... the flying ones work great! They reach more mantids more often, and reproduce faster too.

They also seem to reach more places in my house! How do you keep them from flying out of the container when you open the lid to feed? I always seem to "release" at least a couple dozen...up up and away!

 

[PhilinYuma]

They also seem to reach more places in my house! How do you keep them from flying out of the container when you open the lid to feed? I always seem to "release" at least a couple dozen...up up and away!

Oh, that's easy! You will need a funnel and a feeding port cut in the pot containing the mantids and sealed with a sponge bung. Now, here you go. With one hand, remove the bung and keep it tight with yr little finger so that you don't lose it. With the same hand, hold the funnel in place in the port. O.K. so far?

With your second hand rap the pot of mels sharply on a hard surface to knock them to the bottom of the pot. You will be pouring the mels into the funnel with your second hand, so pry the lid off their pot with yr third hand. We're moving along nicely, eh?

Pour the mels into the funnel and be sure to prevent them from climbing out of the funnel by flicking it sharply with the fingers of your fourth hand, at the same time recapping the mel pot with the lid that you should still be holding in one of the other hands; I can never remember which.

If you have just one more hand, you can use that to spritz the pot as you remove the funnel from the port. It is now a simple matter to replace the bung (can you remember which hand you put it in?). put the pot back where it belongs and treat yourself to a shot of whatever works best for you, holding the glass with whatever hand you like.

 

[Katnapper]

:lol: @ Phil!!

They also seem to reach more places in my house! How do you keep them from flying out of the container when you open the lid to feed? I always seem to "release" at least a couple dozen...up up and away!

I keep my flying mels in a 12x12 net cage that has the opening on one side... not the top. And I just unzip enough to stick my hand in there holding the target container I want ff's in, scoop some into the cup (they are all at the back side of the net cage because I position the cage so the light is coming from that direction), and then wedge my other hand in there and cap the lid.

I also keep at least one complete ff culture right inside the net cages. I just add new cups with new culture media to replace the old every so often to keep the cycle going. Works great! No transferring involved unless you need to harvest some for another cage, or put some more in because the mantids were especially greedy and hungry and ate a lot of theirs... necessitating adding some more.