Fruit flies cultures and humidity

[clownonfire]

Hi guys,

I've been culturing with success now D. hydei and D. melanogaster. My challenge has been since the get go humidity. I live in Montreal, and we have extremely humid weather.

The problem is that whatever I might be using as the surface area collapse, may it be coffee filters doubled up, toilet paper rolls, etc. I haven't tried excelsior yet as I cannot find any in Montreal.

Do any of you have tricks to counter humidity? I have now moved my cultures higher hoping it will help.

Thanks,

Eric

[MikeM670]

Hi guys,

I've been culturing with success now D. hydei and D. melanogaster. My challenge has been since the get go humidity. I live in Montreal, and we have extremely humid weather.

The problem is that whatever I might be using as the surface area collapse, may it be coffee filters doubled up, toilet paper rolls, etc. I haven't tried excelsior yet as I cannot find any in Montreal.

Do any of you have tricks to counter humidity? I have now moved my cultures higher hoping it will help.

Thanks,

Eric

Eric,

You can find excelsior at craft shops like Michael's or Hobby Lobby. They sell smaller bags of the stuff but you can find it. I picked up a couple of packs today and it was half price to boot.

On a side note I had my first failed culture of D. hydei which I tried starting from a older one I had. Never saw any larva and it became a mite haven. I'm afraid to say I have not yet mastered the culturing of flies yet.

[clownonfire]

We do have Michael's in Ontario. Next time I'm at Sara's place I will stop by Ottawa and pick some up.

It is definitely a learning curve, Mike. Do you use mite paper?

[MikeM670]

Eric,

I just got some the other day. I had been spraying paper towels with some mite spray and placing the containers on them.

I have also been trying to make my own culture medium using the Frog Forum Medium formula listed in the Fruit Fly Culturing Article. Too soon to tell if it is working out for me. I have been using the stuff from Josh Frogs prior to this and still have some for emergency if needed.

[DonLisk]

Since the topic here was to do with humidity.... I have a question I hope someone can help with.

My D. melanogaster wingless culture was doing great and all of a sudden the media went to liquid. Anyone have a way of pulling the flies and getting them into a new media without tipping the jar and pouring the media all over the flies?

[MikeM670]

Don,

Is this a new culture? Is it worth saving them? If so then I would imagine to get them out just open the lid and let them climb out into another container. Then do a transfer from that one.

[DonLisk]

It is a few weeks old and was producing great but now I have a ton of larva and can't pour the liquid out with out losing the larva .... that bites

I'm gonna try to pull the excelsior and then get what i can into a new media. I do have a boat load of British Gliders going so no big deal if I lose the wingless culture but was hoping to use it to make more.

[Logqan]

This can be tricky but sometimes when this happens I add more media and lightly stir it in and let the new media absorb the excess moisture. After an hour or so your media should be back where you want it to be.
Logan

[JimO]

I agree. You could even add white flour or corn starch to absorb the liquid. If the humidity is high, make a drier mix to start with and leave the lid off until the media has cooled and absorbed all the water. You should be able to turn it upside down without it falling out.

To the OP, even though I have low humidity in the house and more often have cultures dry out, I still have problems with any paper products. Excelsior works very well. You could also try some vinyl window screen. I bleach and re-use my containers and would do the same with window screen.

This can be tricky but sometimes when this happens I add more media and lightly stir it in and let the new media absorb the excess moisture. After an hour or so your media should be back where you want it to be.
Logan

[MikeM670]

I like your idea on the window screen.

I agree. You could even add white flour or corn starch to absorb the liquid. If the humidity is high, make a drier mix to start with and leave the lid off until the media has cooled and absorbed all the water. You should be able to turn it upside down without it falling out.

To the OP, even though I have low humidity in the house and more often have cultures dry out, I still have problems with any paper products. Excelsior works very well. You could also try some vinyl window screen. I bleach and re-use my containers and would do the same with window screen.

[berksmike]

I know some people add gelatine to their cultures to solidify the medium. I havent tried this as I tend to make my medium slightly on the dry side as it generaly becomes more liquid over time

[Lacibeth]

It's been a long time since I cultured fruit flies, but I used the plastic canvas for counted cross stitch and that's available in most "crafty" sections. Two nice things about it: it's cheaper than all get out-- a 12"x18" sheet is $1.50 and it's cleanable/reusable.