Typical Drosophila vials
Housing
Flies are typically kept in plastic or glass containers. I strongly recommend polypropylene plastic vials. Glass containers seem to suffer from condensation to a much greater extent. This can prevent the media from adhering to the vial (allowing it to slip when the vial is inverted), and prevent flies from climbing up the side of the vial.
Re-useability is something that we should all aim for, however fruit fly vials get SO 'glued-on' that it is often very messy and time consuming to clean them effectively, and fly keepers often use disposable cups. However, polypropylene plastic vials with straight sides really are the best choice. The media stays in place better, and if soaked and washed with a bottle brush, can be cleaned and reused easily. Conical flasks are just that bit harder to clean. Such containers are somewhat hard to source, but are available from scientific suppliers online.
Vials can be sealed with sponge (you can make your own - though they are somewhat difficult to cut perfectly; but again available online from scientific suppliers), these are good at keeping out mites, and very convenient. Less good options include: cotton wool (cheap, easy, but only good for vials with small openings. Not reuseable.), filter paper (can be damaged when wet) or netting (cheap, reuseable, can allow mites and interbreeding with wild flies). If you use netting, it is best to keep the flies in a cabinet to keep out other flies.
A funnel is critical when transferring flies
Handling fruit flies?
Under laboratory conditions flies need to be moved from container to container without any escape. This is performed by anaesthetising the flies with CO2 or ether. This renders them unconscious for a minute or two without damage. Even fully flighted flies can be easily managed in this way. If you have a cylinder of CO2 handy, perhaps for a planted aquarium, try inverting the vial, and introducing a gentle flow of CO2 by inserting a fine tube past the sponge topper. After just a few seconds the flies will fall unconscious. This is where the consistency of the media is essential. If your flies are kept over sloppy media, when it is inverted, media will slide down the side of the container, sticking to flies and potentially falling out. If you use the Sussex miedia (see fruit fly food recipes) it will stay exactly where it should! Tap the container a couple times, and all the sleeping flies will all fall out. No mess, just flies.
Luckily flightless flies are relatively easy to manipulate without CO2, as long as you work quickly. If you have difficulties, 5-8 minutes in a freezer greatly reduces their mobility. But work quickly, because they will wake up soon!
Always use funnels when moving flies from one vial to another. This will largely prevent escape, and allows a vial to be left 'unlidded' with flies still in it. If any do start to walk back up, a gentle tap soon sends them back to their food!
Fruit fly cultures for sale
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Cleveland, Georgia, 305**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
$40
??PLEASE READ BEFORE PURCHASING??
(WHAT YOU RECEIVE)
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FRUIT FLY: Drosophila melanogaster (flightless)
SIZE: 1 / 16?? inches (smaller than hydie fruit flies)
COUNT: 50+ (will produce prolifically)
(BASIC INFO)
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LIVE FOOD SOURCE FOR: Dart Frogs, Jumping Spiders, Praying
Mantis, Mantids, Morning Geckos, ...
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Ogden, Utah, 844**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
$16
Wingless Fruit Fly Culture (Drosophila Melanogaster). Condition is New. These flightless fruit fly cultures come in a 32oz cup with a ventilated lid, excelsior wool and culture mix. It will come with 100 adult flys that will already be laying new generations upon arrival. For best practices, do not use flys until 5 days after first generation hatches to ensure new generation. These cultures will last you several weeks. Shipped with USPS First Class
...
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Dover, Pennsylvania, 173**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
$30
Get ready to offer your reptiles a variety of live food with this Fruit Fly Culture 3Pack. It includes three types of fruit flies: Live Flightless, Turkish Gliders, and Wingless. These flies are perfect for feeding your pet reptiles and are sourced from Crazy Frog Lady L L.C , a trusted brand in the pet supplies industry
With this Fruit Fly Culture 3Pack Variety, you can provide your reptiles with high-quality live food that is rich in nutrients. These fruit flies are easy to care for and ...
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Dover, Pennsylvania, 173**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
$57
6 Pack of 2 different Cultures
Melongaster Flightless Fruit Flies x3
Melongaster Wingless Fruit Flies x3
Live fruit flies are a great option for feeding small lizards and many species of frogs, especially because of their reproduction cycle. Each culture of flightless fruit flies has a lifespan of about one month, and even after they die, they will continually pupate from eggs laid by the adults in the culture! This will allow you to keep fruit flies for a while, as long ...
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Dover, Pennsylvania, 173**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
$33
This 2 pack of Flightless Fruit Fly cultures + 2 Pack of Turkish Gliders is the perfect addition to any reptile or dart frog owner's collection. These cultures provide a nutritious and tasty food source for your pets without the hassle of dealing with live insects. The flies are easy to maintain and will last for several weeks, ensuring that your pets are well-fed and healthy.
With free shipping included, this is a great deal that you don't want to miss out on. Whether you're a seasoned ...
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