Description
Jungle Jewel Exotics is proud to present the second version of very own Fruit Fly Culturing Media.
Our new and improved recipe no longer requires vinegar to me mixed in as a preservative! Additionally the new media produces more fruit flies vs our previous media. Saving you time and money when making fruit fly cultures.
Created by necessity, and improved through ingenuity, we were able to create a Fruit Fly Culturing Media that works for all Drosophila Hydei and Melanogaster alike. This means there is no need for 2 different mixes or to add additional yeast to feed your new Fruit Fly Culture.
Directions To Make Fruit Fly Culturing Media
For Melanogaster: Add 3/4 cup boiling water to 1/4 cup dry media, mix well
For Hydei: Add 1 cup boiling water to 1/3 cup dry media, mix well
Add Excelsior and cover immediately. Allow the media to cool to near room temperature before adding Fruit Flies.
The final consistency should retain some shape however it should flatten when you tap the culture on a table while still warm (like mashed potatoes). You may need to add a teaspoon of water as necessary depending on the time of year.
Microwave Instructions:
The above method is the recommended and prefered method, as it’s the most consistent.
However we are doing some testing and will update this section later
Extra Tips
During winter months it may be necessary to mist the fly culture with additional water to prevent drying out. This is due to the very low humidity of Canadian homes in the winter.
If the larvae are not crawling up the sides of the container, add some humidity. We find that covering the cultures with a dome or placing in a tote bin for the first couple weeks helps stabilize this. (especially for Hydei in the dry winter months) If they are crawling to the top and the lid, the humidity is to high. This takes some tweaking and observation when you are first culturing fruit flies.
By following these directions you shouldn’t experience molding of cultures. Do start a new culture from a mold free fly culture. That said, some strains of mold are resilient, and may be introduced by old cultures or excelsior. – a little bit at the base of the excelsior is nothing to worry about, and will be turned under by the larvae as they eat the media.
To combat mold add a teaspoon of vinegar to the initial mixture. Make sure to use boiling water as it does help pasteurize the culture. A sprinkle of cinnamon on top of the cooled media may help as well.
If you make to much fruit fly media you can store additional premade cultures in the refrigerator for a few days. Simply allow to warm up to room temperature before adding fruit flies, you may need to mist the media to replenish some moisture .
Store unused dry media in a cool dry place.
For more information and tips of culturing your very own fruit flies, please visit our blog how to Prevent Fruit Fly Cultures from Crashing
Jungle Jewel Exotics Fruit Fly Culturing Media is available for sale and shipping in Canada only
