Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2010 2:43:29 GMT 1
Hey everyone, Antamaniac here. It's been a while since I last posted something, but I have a little something to say about fruit flies. I think I've done so somewhere on this forum (or maybe on another, it's been quite a while), but I didn't see in the ant diet section or archive, so here it will be.
Yes, yes, you see them in the skies, and sometimes in your homes. Those dastardly buggers that make a nuisance just by existing. They go for your fruit and anything sweet. Quite annoying. However, they do provide one particular benefit: as food (not for humans!). They reproduce like mad, and so if you balance it properly, you can have endless number of fruit flies for fish and ants alike. There may be a few questions you may want to ask me, and I'll do the best I can to answer them.
First, you have to make sure the fruit flies are in your house! (or you can try outside, though I've never tried outside) Don't forget to prepare yourself for the possibility of releasing a pest into your home! Think before you act! Well then, if you're ready, we'll begin.
Problem #1: Feeding the fruit flies
Before you capture any, you want to make sure that you can feed them. You can search online for various recipes, but I've found one that is simple yet has yielded me success:
8 bananas
1/4 cup sugar
rolled oats (oatmeal)
1 packet baker's yeast (or cinammon*)
4 Tablespoons of vinegar (for mould)
Of course, I did not use 8 bananas, I just used it proportionately. I used about one quarter of a banana for a 8oz cup (~250mL) (You should use a larger cup for if you intend to keep the same container past the second generation. Overcrowding with fruit flies ends up with dead fruit flies. I intend to get rid of the cup once the second generation emerges). Beat the banana until it is liquified and add vinegar and sugar. For an 8oz cup, you will want to use about 1.25mL of vinegar and about half a tablespoon of sugar. The vinegar is to protect the culture from mould and the sugar is to sweeten the food for the fruit flies.
Afterwards, you add in the baker's yeast or cinammon. Just sprinkle which one you'd like. I prefer the cinammon because it reduces the stench of the fruit fly culture, which I assure you is nasty if you keep it for too long. Apparently the yeast and cinammon are for the food of the adults, but personally I don't see adding it as they fare well anyways. I just add cinammon to cover the smell.
Once done, you'll realize the mixture is quite runny. Not to worry, just add enough rolled oats (or oatmeal until) the consistency is firm, but still moist. Then add the mixture (If you haven't used the cup to mix it) into the container. Add hemp (not the marijuana hemp!) so that the larvae can pupate onto a solid surface. I personally use wool because it is more available than hemp. Leave it for now, at least until you have captured fruit flies.
Problem #2: Capturing them alive
Nothing too complicated, all you need is ripening fruit (preferably bananas) and they'll come swarming. I use a deep bowl and I put fruit at the bottom. Try to use as little as possible (but not too little! A thumb size piece is sufficient) because you do not want the fruit flies to drown. You will see why later. I wait a while until they've gathered in the bowl, and then I use plastic wrap to cover the bowl. The fruit flies will be trapped.
Problem #3: Getting them into the culture
You see how hyper they are in there. How do you get them in the culture you ask? Simple! Just put them in the freezer for about 5-10 minutes and presto! They'll look like they're dead. But really they're just unconcious. They shut down once they get to a certain body temperature. Since they're unconcious, they'll usually drop to the bottom. This is why I told you not to have too much bait, the fruit flies may drown. Make sure you do not go past the ten minute threshold. Trust me, I've had an entire colony die on me. Afterwards, use a brush to sweep the unconcious fruit flies into the culture. Try to put them on the hemp/wool as they may have trouble getting out of the culture media if dropped in there. Seal the container immediately with a paper towel and an elastic band. Do this quick as fruit flies quickly revive.
Problem #4 Feed your pets with fruit flies
Okay, no pressure. Just use the freezer method above and extract a bunch. Seal the culture container once you do so. Promptly crush all of the fruit flies (but don't make them get squished! I use tweezers to crush their heads) And distribute them to your pets.
Tips: Be careful with the culture container. Those fruit flies can get out in an instant if there's so much as a tiny hole. Make sure that you remove the fruit flies from the culture container before the food runs out, or you'll end with with dead flies. Another key tip: Make sure you can kill enough fruit flies to keep them in check. If you happen to be overpopulated with fruit flies and cannot control their numbers, make a new culture with about 20 fruit flies and exterminate the rest. The best way is to keep the flies in the freezer for over an hour. Not one should be alive as the ice crystals will destroy them. Always have at least two cultures as mites can infect a culture and make it useless.
If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask. That's all folks!
-Antamaniac
Yes, yes, you see them in the skies, and sometimes in your homes. Those dastardly buggers that make a nuisance just by existing. They go for your fruit and anything sweet. Quite annoying. However, they do provide one particular benefit: as food (not for humans!). They reproduce like mad, and so if you balance it properly, you can have endless number of fruit flies for fish and ants alike. There may be a few questions you may want to ask me, and I'll do the best I can to answer them.
First, you have to make sure the fruit flies are in your house! (or you can try outside, though I've never tried outside) Don't forget to prepare yourself for the possibility of releasing a pest into your home! Think before you act! Well then, if you're ready, we'll begin.
Problem #1: Feeding the fruit flies
Before you capture any, you want to make sure that you can feed them. You can search online for various recipes, but I've found one that is simple yet has yielded me success:
8 bananas
1/4 cup sugar
rolled oats (oatmeal)
1 packet baker's yeast (or cinammon*)
4 Tablespoons of vinegar (for mould)
Of course, I did not use 8 bananas, I just used it proportionately. I used about one quarter of a banana for a 8oz cup (~250mL) (You should use a larger cup for if you intend to keep the same container past the second generation. Overcrowding with fruit flies ends up with dead fruit flies. I intend to get rid of the cup once the second generation emerges). Beat the banana until it is liquified and add vinegar and sugar. For an 8oz cup, you will want to use about 1.25mL of vinegar and about half a tablespoon of sugar. The vinegar is to protect the culture from mould and the sugar is to sweeten the food for the fruit flies.
Afterwards, you add in the baker's yeast or cinammon. Just sprinkle which one you'd like. I prefer the cinammon because it reduces the stench of the fruit fly culture, which I assure you is nasty if you keep it for too long. Apparently the yeast and cinammon are for the food of the adults, but personally I don't see adding it as they fare well anyways. I just add cinammon to cover the smell.
Once done, you'll realize the mixture is quite runny. Not to worry, just add enough rolled oats (or oatmeal until) the consistency is firm, but still moist. Then add the mixture (If you haven't used the cup to mix it) into the container. Add hemp (not the marijuana hemp!) so that the larvae can pupate onto a solid surface. I personally use wool because it is more available than hemp. Leave it for now, at least until you have captured fruit flies.
Problem #2: Capturing them alive
Nothing too complicated, all you need is ripening fruit (preferably bananas) and they'll come swarming. I use a deep bowl and I put fruit at the bottom. Try to use as little as possible (but not too little! A thumb size piece is sufficient) because you do not want the fruit flies to drown. You will see why later. I wait a while until they've gathered in the bowl, and then I use plastic wrap to cover the bowl. The fruit flies will be trapped.
Problem #3: Getting them into the culture
You see how hyper they are in there. How do you get them in the culture you ask? Simple! Just put them in the freezer for about 5-10 minutes and presto! They'll look like they're dead. But really they're just unconcious. They shut down once they get to a certain body temperature. Since they're unconcious, they'll usually drop to the bottom. This is why I told you not to have too much bait, the fruit flies may drown. Make sure you do not go past the ten minute threshold. Trust me, I've had an entire colony die on me. Afterwards, use a brush to sweep the unconcious fruit flies into the culture. Try to put them on the hemp/wool as they may have trouble getting out of the culture media if dropped in there. Seal the container immediately with a paper towel and an elastic band. Do this quick as fruit flies quickly revive.
Problem #4 Feed your pets with fruit flies
Okay, no pressure. Just use the freezer method above and extract a bunch. Seal the culture container once you do so. Promptly crush all of the fruit flies (but don't make them get squished! I use tweezers to crush their heads) And distribute them to your pets.
Tips: Be careful with the culture container. Those fruit flies can get out in an instant if there's so much as a tiny hole. Make sure that you remove the fruit flies from the culture container before the food runs out, or you'll end with with dead flies. Another key tip: Make sure you can kill enough fruit flies to keep them in check. If you happen to be overpopulated with fruit flies and cannot control their numbers, make a new culture with about 20 fruit flies and exterminate the rest. The best way is to keep the flies in the freezer for over an hour. Not one should be alive as the ice crystals will destroy them. Always have at least two cultures as mites can infect a culture and make it useless.
If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask. That's all folks!
-Antamaniac