As homemade fruit fly medium/food comes up from time to time, and my many tests, I collected a large list of various recipes. I put them here to share with everyone. Some are from this forum, other forums, and websites - I gave credit to authors when possible and links to the original recipe sources.
Many recipes overlap in basic materials or setup, but there are several that are truly unique too. I sorted the 15 page post here, and lots of other places online and made it simple to find and try the recipes yourself.
Update --
The recipe list I posted each seem to have at least one variation in ingredients (orange juice, Mesa flour, Methylparaben, etc.), and most like to vary how it is mixed (boiling the ingredients together, hottest tap water available, mixing dry and wet ingredients separate ahead of time and allowing them to age for "more consistency", to grinding/mixing in a blender/food processor, etc).
I've tried several dozen of the recipes and noticed some differences in the flies love for the mixes (none produced more flies than another by a margin to note, but some mixes the flies don't seem to like as well and the culture crashes sooner with a few up to 2 weeks sooner). In that regard some seemed to eat more of the mix quicker as well and would crash sooner too, but those did not produce larger populations either.
Comparing the cost of homemade versus store bought --
I settled on a rather simple modified recipe (4 dry ingredients) and costs me under $20 to make 11 pounds of dry mix (no water or fruit). I use about 44.76g of dry mix per culture, so the 11 pounds makes 111 cultures.
I add 118.15g of water per culture (29 pounds) that is a total of 40 pounds of mixed FF medium. The water is 8.35 pounds per gallon, for a total of 3.47 gallons. With the average cost of tap water of $0.019 per gallon that is $0.065 for 111 cultures.
Counting fruit per culture (mashed banana) weighs in at 120g on average, and I get about 5 cultures worth per banana. At $0.60 per pound average which is 3.78 bananas, I get 19 cultures per pound of banana. So 111 cultures costs $22.08 in banana.
Adding the dry mix price $20, water $0.065, and banana $22.08 - it costs $42.15 per 111 cultures, or $0.38 per culture of my homemade mix.
Store bought medium is $10 per 6oz of mix (not counting shipping costs) that is 170.09g of mix, enough for 4 cultures by my weight above. Add 472.6g of water, 1 pound of water, as the math above and it costs $0.002 - giving a total of 1.42 pounds of mixed FF medium. The cost without shipping is $2.50 per culture of store mix.
A 1289% price increase of store medium versus my homemade mix. Or at the 111 culture amount, my homemade medium is $42.15, and store bought is $277.56 (plus shipping costs). Put another way I can make 6 cultures with my mix versus 1 store bought.
Things of note --
In my recipe trials I've also varied using the typical store active yeast packets, brewers yeast, and no yeast at all - the only change there is with no yeast most mixes will mold before the fly populations would boom. As yeast primarily just keeps the fly medium from molding until the flies eat and mix it, any yeast does that task fine.
The only real difference I've witnessed is in the material placed on top of the fly medium.
I've tried wood excelsior, triangular folded coffee filters, cotton balls, polyester batting (quilt material), paper excelsior/confetti, screen mesh aluminum and fiberglass/plastic, cut needlecraft plastic sheets to two inch "ladder" strips, craft/dried moss (natural excelsior) sometimes called reindeer moss, and other things I'm forgetting. If the culture is allowed plenty of empty room inside (about half the container height or more empty space above the material to the lid) the fly populations seem to be more than double those with filled space using the same fly medium and fly material.
For the largest fly populations, and the lowest cost even, using 5 jumbo cotton balls unraveled and smashed into one big ball and pressed lightly in the fly medium seems to be the way to go. It is also easy clean-up as it all knocks out in one chunk and nothing to wash besides the culture cup/lid.
Culture Lids --
Be aware that if you stack the culture on top of each other, the FF larvae/maggots will congregate on the lid and can eat through the wet/weakened lid material. This is especially true if you made the lids yourself with coffee filters, or if you use another material they will still make a wet mess and often the culture will crash due to a lack of air exchange.
Besides that if you have any flying variety of FF they can lay eggs between the two stacked cups, and the larvae/maggots can live off the humid air from the culture below (and seemingly the pupae shells and etc on the lid) - nothing worse than grabbing a culture to discover the bottom (or top) is covered in FF larvae/maggots. I would recommend not stacking FF cultures no matter the lid material.
Also if you have purchased new lids lately (in the last year) be aware of the type that have the small melted holes in circle patterns. The small FF larvae/maggots can become stuck and die in those holes, and can lead to a culture crash due to lack of oxygen exchange. I had a few and the only fix I found was to cut out the majority of those lids material and use coffee filters or a fine mesh like organza fabric to stop the problem.
Thankfully the true insect lid (circles with the glued material on them) are still available from most suppliers as well.
Many recipes overlap in basic materials or setup, but there are several that are truly unique too. I sorted the 15 page post here, and lots of other places online and made it simple to find and try the recipes yourself.
Update --
The recipe list I posted each seem to have at least one variation in ingredients (orange juice, Mesa flour, Methylparaben, etc.), and most like to vary how it is mixed (boiling the ingredients together, hottest tap water available, mixing dry and wet ingredients separate ahead of time and allowing them to age for "more consistency", to grinding/mixing in a blender/food processor, etc).
I've tried several dozen of the recipes and noticed some differences in the flies love for the mixes (none produced more flies than another by a margin to note, but some mixes the flies don't seem to like as well and the culture crashes sooner with a few up to 2 weeks sooner). In that regard some seemed to eat more of the mix quicker as well and would crash sooner too, but those did not produce larger populations either.
Comparing the cost of homemade versus store bought --
I settled on a rather simple modified recipe (4 dry ingredients) and costs me under $20 to make 11 pounds of dry mix (no water or fruit). I use about 44.76g of dry mix per culture, so the 11 pounds makes 111 cultures.
I add 118.15g of water per culture (29 pounds) that is a total of 40 pounds of mixed FF medium. The water is 8.35 pounds per gallon, for a total of 3.47 gallons. With the average cost of tap water of $0.019 per gallon that is $0.065 for 111 cultures.
Counting fruit per culture (mashed banana) weighs in at 120g on average, and I get about 5 cultures worth per banana. At $0.60 per pound average which is 3.78 bananas, I get 19 cultures per pound of banana. So 111 cultures costs $22.08 in banana.
Adding the dry mix price $20, water $0.065, and banana $22.08 - it costs $42.15 per 111 cultures, or $0.38 per culture of my homemade mix.
Store bought medium is $10 per 6oz of mix (not counting shipping costs) that is 170.09g of mix, enough for 4 cultures by my weight above. Add 472.6g of water, 1 pound of water, as the math above and it costs $0.002 - giving a total of 1.42 pounds of mixed FF medium. The cost without shipping is $2.50 per culture of store mix.
A 1289% price increase of store medium versus my homemade mix. Or at the 111 culture amount, my homemade medium is $42.15, and store bought is $277.56 (plus shipping costs). Put another way I can make 6 cultures with my mix versus 1 store bought.
Things of note --
In my recipe trials I've also varied using the typical store active yeast packets, brewers yeast, and no yeast at all - the only change there is with no yeast most mixes will mold before the fly populations would boom. As yeast primarily just keeps the fly medium from molding until the flies eat and mix it, any yeast does that task fine.
The only real difference I've witnessed is in the material placed on top of the fly medium.
I've tried wood excelsior, triangular folded coffee filters, cotton balls, polyester batting (quilt material), paper excelsior/confetti, screen mesh aluminum and fiberglass/plastic, cut needlecraft plastic sheets to two inch "ladder" strips, craft/dried moss (natural excelsior) sometimes called reindeer moss, and other things I'm forgetting. If the culture is allowed plenty of empty room inside (about half the container height or more empty space above the material to the lid) the fly populations seem to be more than double those with filled space using the same fly medium and fly material.
For the largest fly populations, and the lowest cost even, using 5 jumbo cotton balls unraveled and smashed into one big ball and pressed lightly in the fly medium seems to be the way to go. It is also easy clean-up as it all knocks out in one chunk and nothing to wash besides the culture cup/lid.
Culture Lids --
Be aware that if you stack the culture on top of each other, the FF larvae/maggots will congregate on the lid and can eat through the wet/weakened lid material. This is especially true if you made the lids yourself with coffee filters, or if you use another material they will still make a wet mess and often the culture will crash due to a lack of air exchange.
Besides that if you have any flying variety of FF they can lay eggs between the two stacked cups, and the larvae/maggots can live off the humid air from the culture below (and seemingly the pupae shells and etc on the lid) - nothing worse than grabbing a culture to discover the bottom (or top) is covered in FF larvae/maggots. I would recommend not stacking FF cultures no matter the lid material.
Also if you have purchased new lids lately (in the last year) be aware of the type that have the small melted holes in circle patterns. The small FF larvae/maggots can become stuck and die in those holes, and can lead to a culture crash due to lack of oxygen exchange. I had a few and the only fix I found was to cut out the majority of those lids material and use coffee filters or a fine mesh like organza fabric to stop the problem.
Thankfully the true insect lid (circles with the glued material on them) are still available from most suppliers as well.
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RECIPE #1
Anthony Hundt (an old recipe of mine)
http://www.anapsid.org/fruitfly.html
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8 bananas
1/4 cup sugar
rolled oats (oatmeal)
1 packet bakers yeast
Put banana and sugar in blender and mix until the banana is liquified. Mix in oatmeal until it
becomes firm, but still moist. Put mixture in wide mouth quart canning jars. Add a few granules
of bakers yeast to the surface and add about 30 fruit flies. Cap the jars with a paper towel folded
in fourths held on with a rubber band. Substitution with other types of fruit also works.
Variation, use the following ingredients:
1 cup banana (about 2 bananas)
1 cup apple sauce
1 Tablespoon vinegar
2 cups oat meal
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RECIPE #2
"Raising Fruit Flies", Nancy Nehring
Reptiles Magazine, October 1995, pp. 26-28, 30
http://www.anapsid.org/fruitfly.html
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1 cup water
1 tablespoon cornmeal
1 teaspoon powdered agar
1 tablespoon molasses
1/8 teaspoon calcium propionate (optional)
1 package bakers yeast
Mix all ingredients except yeast, then heat until boiling. Quickly pour mixture into clean culture
jars. Cap and let cool to room temperature. This mixture can be stored in the refrigerator with a
tightly capped lid until ready for use. When ready to use, sprinkle a couple granules of baker's
yeast on the surface and add fruit flies. Calcium propionate is a mold inhibitor used in bread.
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"Mailbag: Raising Fruit Flies", Dr. Floyd Waddle
Reptiles Magazine, February 1996, pp. 4, 6
http://www.doylesdartden.com/fruitfly.html
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1 part brewer's yeast
10 parts instant potato flakes
baker's yeast
Methylparaben mold inhibitor (also know as tegosept)
Carolina Biological catalog # AA-87-6161 for 1 oz $6.90 or AA-87-6163 for 4 oz $13.90
To prepare dry culture media, mix 1 part brewer's to 10 parts instant potato flakes by weight.
When ready for use, mix 4 grams of the mold inhibitor, tegosept (methylparaben), to 1 gallon of
hot water and let cool. To prepare media add an equal amount of water to the dry culture media
(by volume). When the mixture solidifies, add a couple of granules of baker's yeast to the surface
and add fruit flies. Calcium propionate may be used as a substitute for tegosept. From what most
people know, this is the mix used in the Carolina Media.
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CosbyArt (http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showuser=8168)
----- Thomas's Fruit Fly Culture Food Recipe -----
based from Anthony Hundt recipe variation
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x4 large bananas
x3 2/3 cup apple sauce
x2 tablespoon white vinegar
x3 2/3 cup oatmeal (ground)
x3 2/3 cup potato flakes (ground)
First I grind the oatmeal and potato flakes in a food processor to fully mix and grind them into a
powder. Then I mix all the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl using a spatula.
- I add hot water as needed to thin the mix to the proper consistency (slightly running when a deli
cup is tipped)
- I put about 1 1/2" to 2" inches of food in a deli cup and bang it off the counter several times
to level out the food and remove excess air bubbles
- Next I sprinkle a pinch of dry active yeast (bakers yeast) lightly on top of the food
- I let the cup rest about 10 to 15 minutes, as often the food mix will rise some by itself,
especially if the food is prepared ahead of time and is starting to ferment already
- To finish it off I use 6 jumbo cotton balls pulled apart individually and then crumpled together,
which is pushed lightly into the food
- Last step is to add about 50 flies or more and let it sit until the fly population expands in
growth (7 to 10+ days) before using them as feeders
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Darkrai283 (http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showuser=7880)
Fruit Fly Recipe
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4 cup Potato Flakes
1 cup Caster Sugar
1 cup White Sugar
Sprinkle of Active bakers yeast
Cheap instant mashed potato flakes, caster/brown sugar and white sugar in the ratio of 4:1:1.
After the mixture cools, I also sprinkle a bit of active yeast and the yeast inhibits the growth of
nasty bacteria and fungi until the larvae hatch.
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MikhailsDinos (http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showuser=1289)
http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7715
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Mix for one 32oz cup
6 oz of apple sauce
2oz of Maseca MASA (Mexican flour, in grocery aisle of foreign/Mexican foods) (Can replace with
corn meal)
I just put it in the microwave for 30 seconds & that makes it a little easier to mix the medium
1 Tbsp of white vinegar as a fungicide
1 Tbsp of honey to the cup of medium. Honey is a great fungicide too. Plus it makes it a little bit
sweeter.
Add yeast.
Add some coffee filters, So that the maggots have somewhere dry & for the flies to hang out.
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DARKSPEED (http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showuser=1679)
http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7715
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Orange juice instead of water
Replace vinegar with lemon juice
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macro junkie (http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showuser=1735)
http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7715
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not sure why people would want to experiment with culture medium when mash potato yeast and water
is all u need to make amazing cultures.
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mrblue (http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showuser=1084)
http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7715
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mash potato sugar and yeast and it works great for me
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albedoa (http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showuser=1852)
http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7715
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8 tbps apple sauce
6 tbsp masa
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 pinches yeast
My last culture had only one tbsp of lemon juice, and mold is forming pretty rapidly after just
four days. Think the extra tbsp will fix that? Also, it still seems to dry a bit fast, even using
4:3 sauce to mesa. What proportions do you guys use?
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albedoa (http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showuser=1852)
http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7715
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1/2 cup potato
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp. vinegar
pinch of yeast
Edit: Hmm, it looks like the extra tbsp on vinegar is doing the trick. I was only putting 1 tbsp
in before.
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OGIGA (http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showuser=635)
http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7715
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apple cider vinegar instead of white vinegar.
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Happy Mantis (http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showuser=1759)
http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7715
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Here is my favorite off the web from: Fruitfly culture @ Petfish.
Home Made Culture Recipe:
1/2 Cup Instant Mashed Potato flakes.
4 tsp. Cornflower.
2 tsp. Active yeast.
1/2 tsp. Sugar.
Apple Cider Vinegar.
I mix all the dry in a larger portion and when needed add in the Apple Cider Vinegar before I use
this. The Apple Cider Vinegar has 2 uses, first it is a good mold inhibitor, and second it helps
bind the items together. When ready to mix the dry with the Vinegar you will want to mix it in a
1:1 ratio, it will be the consistency of a dry paste. You don't want it to be too wet, or it will
foul your culture.
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DARKSPEED (http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showuser=1679)
http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7715
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I've been using mashed potatoes yeast and Sunny D. Add the yeast to warm water to "jump start" it
into growing quickly and out competing any chance of mold. Nevertheless, I went one step further
and heated the sunny d in the microwave, providing the yeast with moisture, heat and an instant
sugar source to grow like crazy. It works well and so far no mold without vinegar.
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nasty bugger (http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showuser=2610)
http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7715
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I am proofing a batch of bakers yeast right now, before I add it to the medium culture. Proofing
is getting water to around 100 degrees farenheit, and adding yeast. A temperature over 115 degrees
will kill the yeast. I'd rather have it too cool and take longer to proof than too hot and kill the
yeast outright.
I watched a cooking show that taught how to do this, and they added a pinch of sugar for the yeast
to feast on. They said the sugar sped up the proofing.
The yeast is 'proofed' when bubbles start rising from the yeast/water mixture, thus 'proving' it's
a viable batch of yeast.
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LectricBlueyes (http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showuser=2761)
http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7715
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Update: Just got off the phone with the OWNER of the Chicago Reptile House and this is what is in
the mix:
1. Mash Potatoes (dry mix)
2. Water
3. Vinegar
4. Methylene Blue
He says that 2-3 drops of the methylene blue is enough for a 32oz cup and misting the culture once
every week is enough to keep it alive. He claims to have seen cultures dwindle down but survive for
6 months. The key is to use the powder instant mashed potato mix because it contains preserves in
it that will also help fight mold.
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PhilinYuma (http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showuser=2509)
http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7715
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Mold inhibitor: Methyl Paraben or vinegar!
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MantidLord (http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showuser=1732)
http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7715
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My basic setup includes:
microwaved apple slices and strawberry preserves
red wine vinegar
baby oatmeal
coffee filters
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PhilinYuma (http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showuser=2509)
http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7715
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1/2 cup yeast
1/2 cup of sugar
5 1/2 cups of potato flakes
1 cup of brewer's yeast
but that much yeast will make your mixture 'rise' and that can cause problems.
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minomantis (http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showuser=6680)
http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7715
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oats
blended banana and strawberries
2 tablespoons of vinegar
sprinkled yeast
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Orin (http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showuser=10)
Orin McMonigle
http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=9521
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1/2 cup potato flakes
1/2 cup water
If ambient humidity is less than 40% add 2 tsp water. If 15% or less add 1-2 Tbsp water
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Jim & Tonja O'neill
http://www.oneillscrossing.com/2014/05/27/culturing-fruit-flies-for-dart-frogs/
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27oz Potato flakes
8oz Powdered sugar
2/3 cup Brewers yeast
Stir, can keep in freezer indefinitely.
To finish the mix --
Add 1/2 cup dry mix to 32oz cup
Pour in rolling boil water and mix until proper consistency
Dust the top of the fly medium with cinnamon to prevent mold.
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Home made "Carolina Mix"
by Christina Hanson
http://www.doylesdartden.com/fruitfly.html
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Normal Amount (Makes approx. 30 1/3 cup cultures.)
1 cup of powdered sugar
4 teaspoons Methyl paraben
8 cups potato flakes
1/2 - 1 cup of brewers yeast.
Large Batch (Makes approx. 2 gallons of media (approx 100 1/3 cup cultures))
3 cups of powdered sugar
1/4 cup Methyl paraben
6 quarts cups potato flakes
1.5 - 3 cups of brewers yeast.
Sift the powdered sugar and the Methyl paraben into a gallon or larger ziplock bag or container.
Shake well.
Add brewer yeast and shake again.
Add the potato flakes and brewers yeast to the ziplock bag and shake well.
Use the same amount as the Carolina Biological Mixture. I normally use 1/3 to 1/2 cups of media
mixed with equal amounts of hot water in a quart jar. This is the media I most frequently use.
The cost is approx. $0.08 per culture
Note:
Methyl paraben, also called Tegosept is a mold inhibitor. It can be purchased from Carolina
Biological 1-800-334-5551 / www.carolina.com.
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Banana and Apple Sauce Mix
by Anthony Hundt
http://www.doylesdartden.com/fruitfly.html
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1 cup banana (about 2 bananas)
1 cup apple sauce
1/8 cup vinegar (or 2 tablespoons or 15 ml)
2 cups oatmeal
a few granules of baker's yeast
-Put banana and apple sauce in blender or bowl and mix until the banana is liquified.
-Heat in the microwave for approximately 2 min. or until hot enough to kill off any wild fruit fly
eggs that were in the bananas, and to reduce mold.
-Add the vinegar and mix in oatmeal until it becomes firm, but still moist.
-Put the mixture in wide mouth quart canning jars and allow to cool.
-Once cooled, add the yeast and flies.
-Any unused media can be frozen until needed.
Makes approx. 6 quart jar cultures at a cost of $0.18 per culture
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The "Power Mix"
By Chis Miller
http://www.doylesdartden.com/fruitfly.html
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The following was posted by Chris Miller of Littleton Co on FrogNet on May 8, 2000.
I have been using a mixture of potato flakes, sugar, and Fleischman's activated yeast for years
now. But, after adding a lot of mouths to feed to my collection, I had decided I was going to have
to find something that made a lot more flies per jar. With input from a lot of different sources
(Dave and Erin, Tracy Hicks, Jutti,) etc , I have composed a mush that has QUADRUPLED my fly
production. I have had very little problem with mold, and the cultures seem to last for at least a
month or longer.
In a pot bring the following to a boil.
2 cups water
2 cups vinegar
1/8th cup Dark molasses
1/2 can of grape juice concentrate
2-3 overripe mushed up bananas
After bringing this mixture to a boil, add the dry material
1/2 cup malt of meal
2/3 cup potato flakes
1/3 cup Brewers Yeast (the key ingredient)
Place about 2 inches of medium in each qt size jar, and sprinkle maybe an 1/8th teaspoon of
activated yeast on the top. A day later, 20-30 flies are added. I have tried this medium with my
Hydei and Melanogaster and I can't believe how many larvae are swarming the sided of the jar, I
literally can't see through the glass jar, they cover every square inch of glass. For the first 10
days, I keep the cultures in cardboard boxes which are kept closed, after that, I keep them on a
large shelf to help the larvae dry out.
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Carolina Drosophia Manual Mix
from the Carolina Drosophia Manual
http://www.doylesdartden.com/fruitfly.html
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750 ml water
1-2g (1 level teaspoon) Tegosept (methylparaben)
15g (1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons) Agar (available at health food stores)
130 ml Molasses (sulfur-free)
100g (1/2 cup & 2 tablespoons) yellow cornmeal
Dissolve 15 g of agar and 1 - 2 g of tegosept in 500 ml of boiling water. To this add 130 ml of
molasses. Be careful not to let this mixture boil over. Mix 100 g of cornmeal with 250 ml of cold
water and pour into the boiling mix. and cook for a few minutes. While the mixture is still thin
enough to pour, pour 2 - 3 cm into the jars. After this has cooled, add some fiberglass screen to
give the flies a place to climb. Allow this to cool for a few hours before adding flies and a
couple granules of baker's yeast. Cover the jar with a paper towel folded 4 ways then place the lid
with holes punched into it over the paper towel.
Make approx. 8 quart jar cultures at a cost of $0.45 per culture
I tried this mix twice and did not have good luck.
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Don Wells on FrogNet
http://www.doylesdartden.com/fruitfly.html
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1 liter water
10 grams powdered agar (available at health food stores)
50 grams Farina Cereal ( Cream of Wheat, Baby Cereal or Cornmeal seems to suffice)
100 grams of dry malt (available at home brewing stores)
15 grams dry Bakers Yeast
25 grams of Methylparaben (see note above) mixed into 500 milliliters of 96% proof non denatured
alcohol (i.e.,voka)
7 grams of Calcium Propionate.
_____________________
1. Mix farina( other cereal substitute) malt, agar in a kettle and pour in water.
2. Stir constantly and bring to a boil / simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Stir in Yeast and bring back to a beginning boil. I also add at this time Spirulina and Klamath
lake Blue Green Algae (Apzomenon flos-aquae (sp?). Usually a teaspoon of each and stir it in well.
You can avoid this if you want it makes no difference with the consistency of the mix.
4. Take from heat pour in 25 milliliters of Methyl Paraben/Alcohol and calcium propionate and mix
well. Immediately pour into sterile bottles or vials. Do not allow to cool or it will be hard
to pour. It should not be too watery at this point either. If it seems watery add a bit more
agar and cereal and bring to a boil once more. I usually try to pour in about an inch and a half
of media per bottle.
5. Allow the surface to dry before introducing the flies. I usually allow it to sit overnight.
6. I put in about twenty five to forty flies per culture bottle. I use glass canning jars usually
pint size.
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antoniolugo (http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members/antoniolugo.html)
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/food-feeding/74797-what-fruit-fly-media-do-you-use.html
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I use the basic formula with good results.
6 cups potato flakes
1 cup sugar
1 cup brewers yeast
I also add
1 cup of flaxseed meal
4 teaspoons of methylparaben
I put pieces of cardboard in the cultures for the pupae to climb on and some excelsior. Has produce
well for me.
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james67 (http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members/james67.html)
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/food-feeding/58634-ff-media-recipes-list.html
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20 cups potato flakes
3-5 cups powdered sugar
3-5 cups brewers yeast
2 tbsp cinnamon
12 tsp methyl paraben
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Mikembo
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/food-feeding/58634-ff-media-recipes-list.html
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1 cup white sugar
2 cups powdered/instant milk
4 cups instant mashed potatoes
2 table spoons of cinnamon
For melos I used 1/2 cup media, 1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup vinegar.
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SmackoftheGods
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/food-feeding/58634-ff-media-recipes-list.html
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Blend the following:
8-10 overripe bananas
(I always blend a large carrot and some vitamin A and D3 supplements into the media but this is not necessary for large production)
1 cup of water
Put the above into a pot and add:
2 cups water
3 cups apple cider vinegar
1/4th cup Dark molasses
1 can of grape juice concentrate
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp vanilla
Bring the above mixture to a rolling boil for five minutes.
After bringing this mixture to a boil, add the dry material
1 cup malt of meal
1 1/3 cup potato flakes
2/3 cup Brewers Yeast (the key ingredient)
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earthfrog (http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members/earthfrog.html)
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2 cups purified water
1/8 cup organic molasses
1 cup applesauce
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 bananas
instant potato flakes
Baker's yeast
1 tsp spirulina powder
Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
Add potato flakes 1/4 cup at a time until it is no longer 'soupy', but 'pasty'
Blend well with whisk---separate into cups with four spoonfuls in each, allow to cool to 90 degrees.
Sprinkle a coating of baker's yeast on top just to cover the media (about 1 TBS), and add 1 tsp
spirulina powder. Stir into the media a bit. Allow some yeast to spill down the sides of the cup,
which will encourage the sides not to collect condensation and drown flies/larvae.
Add a tuft of excelsior, pressing it into the media a bit, but keeping it away from the sides of
the cup if possible. It should not be more than what will reach halfway up the cup.
Cover and place in freezer for up to one month before use.
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frogmanroth (http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members/frogmanroth.html)
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1 16oz box potato flakes
2 cups powdered sugar
2 cups brewers yeast
2 tbsp cinnamon
4 tsp methyl paraben
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ravengritz (http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members/ravengritz.html)
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3 Cups powdered sugar
1/4 Cups methyl paraben
24 Cups potato flakes
2 Cups brewers yeast
Mix up and keep dry. When ready to use mix 50/50 with hot water, sprinkle with bakers yeast and
spritz with water (one spray does it).
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QRICH (http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members/qrich.html)
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Power Mix!
No Joke this one will produce so many FF!
2 cups of water
2 cups of Vinegar
1/8 cup dark molasses
1/2 can grape juice concentrate
2-3 ripe bananas
Above ingredients must be blended then brought to a boil before solids are added. Also the mixture
must cool a little before adding the solids.
Solids.
1/2 cup malt of meal
2/3 cup potato flakes
1/3 cup brewers yeast
Add above ingredients after boiled mixture has cooled.
After mixture has been placed into container then sprinkle a little brewers yeast on top of
substrate.
Add FF once cooled!
This mixture will produce thousands of FF and stay active for weeks depending on how much you add
to each container. I place about 3-4in of substrate to each container which will make each culture
last 4-8 weeks.
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salix (http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members/salix.html)
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2 large boxes of instant mashed potato flakes
1 2lb bag of powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups of brewer's yeast
a heavy sprinkle of cinnamon (if I forget to bring it to the frog room with me, I leave it out)
I also throw in any outdated vitamin powder I have on hand. It probably doesn't help in the least,
but it doesn't hurt and I'm going to throw it out anyway.
I then mix 1/3 cup of media with 1/2 cup of water.
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Gamble (http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members/gamble.html)
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3/4 cup of water
1 cup of potato flakes
1 tablespoon sugar
5-10 grains of bakers yeast
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Topete (http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members/topete.html)
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6 cups flakes
3 cups brewers yeast
2 cups powdered sugar
2 cups vinegar
1 cup fruit juice
2 tsp cinnamon
1 ripe banana
Thin out with boiled water, let cool before adding yeast and flies
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davecalk (http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members/davecalk.html)
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THE CHICK MASH FRUIT FLY MEDIA RECIPE
I developed a modified version of the home-made “Carolina Mix” that I have been using for about 13
years now.
Ingredients List:
1 cup of powdered sugar.
4 teaspoons Methylparaben / Tegosept.
1 cup of Nutritional Yeast / Brewers Yeast.
2 - 3 tablespoons of cinnamon.
8 cups Instant Mashed Potato flakes.
4 cups of "Chick Starter Mash" (without antibiotics).
A pinch of Bakers Yeast per culture on top (after the culture has been prepared).
Baby Chick Starter Mash (No Antibiotics)
Chick Starter Mash is also to supplement protein and add a lot of nutrients to the media, which
also increases the overall yield of the culture all without increasing the smell like many other
proteins sources do (powdered milk etc.) I typically get the Baby Chick Starter Mash at a local
farmers coop. It is also carried at farm stores like “Coastal” and “Farm & Fleet.” I purchase 5-10
pound bags, which run $1.50 - .$6.00. You can also get it in 50 pound bags.
I found that using the Chick Mash right out of the bag didn’t blend together quite as well I
wanted. It would mix just fine dry, but when the water was added to the culture the heavier
textured granules in the Mash would quickly settle out and drop to the bottom of the culture. By
running the chick mash through a blender with the setting on the liquefy for a minute or two it made
a huge difference in how well the Chick Mash blended and mixed into the media.
After grinding the mash to a fine powder, the Mash stays uniform and well mixed throughout the
culture. It only takes 4 – 5 minutes to powder the entire bag of Mash and after everything is
ground up I label and store the extra in plastic gallon zip lock bags.
If you can’t find Starter Chick Mash, this recipe will do just fine without it (it is like most
other potato flake recipes), but adding the Chick Mash does help to increase nutritional value and
overall yield of the flies by quite a bit.
Add the Hot Water
For Melanogaster, I will add 1/4 cup of the hot water to the 1/8 cup of media mix.
For Hydei, I will add 1/2 cup of hot water to the 1/4 to a 1/3 cup of media mix.
If the water is hot enough, the media will gel and set very quickly, typically within just a few
seconds.
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Suzanne (http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members/suzanne.html)
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For 4 cultures:
- 250 g oat flakes
- 25 g bakers yeast
- 250 g apple sauce
Let it stand for a night, so the alcohol that is produced by the yeast can evaporate without
killing the flies.
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rmelancon (http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members/rmelancon.html)
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If you make a lot of cultures, this makes about 20 gallons of media. I mix it in a garbage can with
a cement mixer attached to a hand drill.
11 gallons Potato Flake
6 pounds of powdered sugar
5 pounds of brewers yeast
2.5 cups of Methyl Paraben
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brooklyndartfrogs (http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members/brooklyndartfrogs.html)
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Dry ingredients
6 cups potato powder
3 cups nutritional yeast
1 cup powdered sugar (sifted)
3 tbsp cinnamon
2 tbsp beet powder
5 tsps methyl paraben (sifted)
Liquid ingredients
Boil water and white vinegar 2:1
(I add vinegar just to be safe but you can get away without using it)
1/2 cup liquids to 1/3 cup dry
Pinch of bakers yeast
5 coffee filters folded into a pie shape
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JaysPDF (http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members/jayspdf.html)
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8 cups potato flake
3/4 cup malt o meal
1 cup brewers yeast
1 cup powder sugar
1/4-1/2 cup strawberry protein/vitamin supplements (yummy)
4 tsp Methylparaben
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Tony Kim (http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members/tony-kim.html)
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This is for individual container measurements :
2tsp. potato flakes
1tsp. powdered cornmeal
1tsp. powdered sweet rice
1tsp. powdered sugar
Pinch of cinnamon and yeast
Add twice the amount of water to the mix and stir
Microwave for 1 1/2 minute on high.
Re-stir the mix and let it cool.
This recipe doesn't need inhibitors or vinegar additives.
I use this for melanos only.
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Pumilo (http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members/pumilo.html)
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Here is a recipe I put together years ago. I've always had great results from it. I was going for a
couple of things when I put this together. Optimal nutrition, well producing culture, and long
lasting culture.
PUMILO'S MIX
14 cups (30 ozs) potato flakes
7 cups instant oats
5 cups (1 lb) flaxseed meal (Red Mill)
3.5 cups White rice flour (Red Mill)
3.5 cups whole grain corn flour (Red Mill)
3.5 cups whole wheat flour
2.5 cups Corn starch
12 cups Brewers yeast flakes (1.5 lbs)
6 cups Powdered Sugar
12 TBSP Cinnamon
just under 1/2 cup Methyl Paraben
All ingredients powdered and mixed in blender/food processor (Measured FIRST, then blended)
Mix 1/3 cup media to 2/3 cup cold water. Microwave until fully boiling, stirring once. The extra
water that this recipe holds allows it to last a long time in Colorado's dry climate. You can
actually put about 3/4 cup of water in but production seems to drop a little in the first boom.
Of course the usual 10 or so grains of active bakers yeast. Instead of excelsior (hate it), I use a
piece of standard fiberglass window screen about 3 inches wide and as tall as the container,
pressed down into the media.
Doug
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poison beauties (http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members/poison-beauties.html)
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you guys should try it with sweet potatos.
8 cups sweet potato flakes
4 cups baby banana oatmeal
6 cups powdered sugar
4 cups brewers or nutritional yeast
1 cup powdered milk
1 cup Methylparaben
1/4 cup cinnamin
Add hot water till mix is at desired thickness and sprinkly brewers yeast
Works very well and it nutrient rich.
Michael
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aliciaface (http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members/aliciaface.html)
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*SO EASY A CAVEMAN COULD DO IT FF RECIPE*
Dry media i keep on hand in a big tupperware (like for cereal)
8 parts potato flakes
1 part sugar
1 part brewer's yeast
*SHAKE/MIX WELL*
For EACH culture cup you are making MIX the following:
1/3 cup dry media ^
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup warm-hot water
swirl the cup around a little bit to mix it all in
sprinkle of active yeast on top
sprinkle of cinnamon on top -really cuts the smell
add water or dry media as needed, consistency should be like thick pancake batter, too much water
and you will just drown all the flies you add in, they should be able to stomp around on the mix.
excelsior or coffee filters, as you see fit, i just use cheapy paper filters, pack of 200 or 300
for like $2 at Costco. magic.
(ps. safeway brand potato flakes is the BEST ive found, perfect consistency, and brewer's yeast is
easily found at most stores with a bulk foods aisle- Whole Foods, Winco, etc.)
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Allyn Loring (http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members/allyn-loring.html)
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My own .02 recipe;
1 part granulated sugar
2 parts instant powdered milk
4 parts instant potato flakes
1 part stone ground yellow corn meal
1 part old fashioned oats
1/3 water
1/3 vinegar
1/3 apple juice
per media portion;
dash of cinnamon
+/_ 1/2tsp. honey
melo media portion 1/2 cp match 1/2 cup wet ingredients
hydei media portion 2/3 cp. match 2/3 cup wet ingredients
sprinkle 1/4+ tsp. active yeast per culture
microwave wet/dry ingredients for one minute plus (including cinnamon,honey)add whatever you use
for pupae substrate.Let cool.then add flies! There my .02!!
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GRIMM (http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members/grimm.html)
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I use a recipe I found on a website called "someones"frogroom...Cant remember the name right now,
but he had plenty of experience and good things to say about his method. Ive tried it out, and it
is super easy, cheap, and only smells like orange juice.
1 cup oats
1/3 cup potatoe flakes
1 tsp of sugar
a pinch of bakers yeast
Mix the ingredients. (I choose to throw them in my magic bullet for a few seconds)
Then add enough orange juice to ensure the majority of the mixture is moist, however you still want
there to be a little dry ingredient left at the bottom of the culture. The culture becomes more
liquid over time so it will eventually become soggy just like the rest of it.
Let sit overnight, then add a folded up paper towel, and some flies. Presto
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Devin Edmonds (http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members/devin-edmonds.html)
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Two good recipes, neither of which I can take credit for but that I've had incredible results from,
are:
Number One
Add to a 24oz. or 32oz. container:
1/2 cup warm water
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 tablespoons powdered milk
4-6 tablespoons instant mashed potatoes
sprinkle a little bakers yeast on top
It smells awful after the first few weeks but the mass amount of flies are worth the discomfort.
Number Two
Boil:
1 mushed banana
1/2 container of grape juice concentrate
14 oz. apple sauce
1/8 cup molasses
Mix:
1 cup instant mashed potatoes
1/2 cup brewers yeast
Combine:
1 part water
1 part vinegar
Add 6 tablespoons of the boiled mix, 6 tablespoons of the dry mix and 2-4 tablespoons of the
water/vinegar. The cultures don't smell great, but not terrible either. This medium produces the
most flies of any home made or commercial medium that I've used but it takes a little work to make.
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