Welcome! You've taken the first step in providing nutritious live prey for your pets. This guide will help you care for your Drosophila melanogaster or Drosophila hydei fruit fly culture, whether it's freshly started or already producing.

What is a Fruit Fly Culture?

A fruit fly culture is a controlled environment, typically in a small container, designed to grow and maintain a population of fruit flies, such as Drosophila melanogaster. These cultures provide the necessary food source (called a culture medium), moisture, and space for fruit flies to thrive, lay eggs, and reproduce. The culture includes specific conditions that support the life cycle of the flies, from eggs to larvae (maggots), pupae, and adult flies.

In a broader sense, a culture refers to a system or medium in which organisms are cultivated for research, commercial use, or other purposes.

Understanding Your Culture

Culture Type	Description
Fresh Culture	Recently started; will begin producing flies in a couple days or weeks.
Producing Culture	Already producing fruit flies; ready for immediate use.

Care Instructions

Optimal Storage Conditions

• Temperature: Maintain between 70–80°F (21–27°C).
  Caution! D. hydei may develop the ability to fly if kept in temperatures above 78°F (26°C). Store these at the lower temperature range to prevent flight.
• Humidity: Keep humidity levels between 60–80%.
• Environment: Store away from direct sunlight and drafts.
• Ventilation: Do not place objects on or otherwise block the ventilated lid, as this will cause a buildup of condensation and could lead to suffocation or damage to the lid.

Development Timeline & Special Characteristics

Species	Morphology	Time to First Flies (Fresh Culture)	Productive Lifespan
D. melanogaster	Wingless	7–10 days	4–6 weeks
D. hydei	Flightless	14–18 days	6–8 weeks

Feeding Your Pets

1. Gently tap the top of the culture to encourage flies to move downward.
2. Carefully remove the lid.
3. Tap the sides or bottom to dispense flies into your pet's enclosure or feeding dish.
4. Recommended for reptiles and amphibians: Dust flies with a calcium or multivitamin supplement.

Maintaining Culture Health

• Minimize Disturbance: Handle the culture gently.
• Prevent Contamination: Keep the lid closed when not in use to prevent escapes and to restrict wild fruit flies or other insects from establishing in the culture.
• Monitor for Condensation: If the culture experiences quick changes in temperature, condensation can develop on the walls which can drown pupae and adult flies.
• Monitor for Dryness: Maintaining adequate humidity is crucial for fruit fly development. If the humidity around the culture drops below about 40%, the food medium at the bottom of the container may dry out, becoming darker in color on top and developing cracks. This is more common in "Fresh" cultures. Dryness can inhibit egg and larval development. To correct a dry culture, simply remove the lid and add 1 teaspoon (5 mL) of water and normal development should continue.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why isn't my fresh culture producing flies yet?

Fresh cultures need time to develop. Refer to the development timeline above for your species.

How do I start a new culture?

Transfer some adult flies from your current culture into a new container with fresh media. We do not currently sell supplies for starting new cultures at home, but you can find different types of suitable supplies on Amazon.com.

Why are mites in my culture?

D. melanogaster cultures sometimes have naturally occurring grain mites which are non-parasitic and feed on decaying organic matter. These mites typically appear after a few weeks and are a sign that the culture is near the end-of-life.

What if my culture gets too hot or cold?

Extreme temperatures can harm the culture. Try to maintain the recommended temperature range for optimal production.

Need Further Assistance?

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our support team at support@byformica.com.