<p class="Heading-3-P" style="background-color: transparent; color: #2f2f2f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 12px 0px;"><span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: 13.33px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><strong style="font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span class="Strong-C0" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">Culturing D. Melanogaster</span></strong></span></p>
<p class="Normal-_Web_-P" style="background-color: transparent; color: #2f2f2f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 12px 0px;"><span style="color: #008000; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span class="Strong-C1" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">1) Place 1/4th cup </span><span class="Hyperlink-C" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><a style="color: #1e7ec8; text-decoration: underline; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" href="https://store.frogsnthings.com/f-t-s-optimized-drosophila-culture-media-1-quart.html">FNT's Optimized Culture Media</a></span><span class="Strong-C1" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"> into a </span><span class="Hyperlink-C" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><a style="color: #1e7ec8; text-decoration: underline; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" href="https://store.frogsnthings.com/32-oz-disposable-insect-culture-containers.html">32 oz Insect Culture Container</a></span><span class="Strong-C1" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"> (alternatively, flies can be cultured in mason jars using a coffee filter as the lid).</span></span></p>
<p class="Normal-_Web_-P" style="background-color: transparent; color: #2f2f2f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 12px 0px;"><span class="Strong-C1" style="color: #008000; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">2) Add 1 tbs apple cider vinegar (an optional mold preventative) plus 1/3rd cup filtered, room temperature water.</span></p>
<p class="Normal-_Web_-P" style="background-color: transparent; color: #2f2f2f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 12px 0px;"><span class="Strong-C1" style="color: #008000; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">3) Once mixture is firm, sprinkle several 10-20 grains of active dry yeast over the media. The yeast will help process the media and will out-compete molds growing on the surface.</span></p>
<p class="Normal-_Web_-P" style="background-color: transparent; color: #2f2f2f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 12px 0px;"><span class="Strong-C1" style="color: #008000; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">4) Add 20-30 flies. Using the first flies to hatch from a culture to seed a new culture helps maintain the colony by selecting for the healthiest flies.</span></p>
<p class="Normal-_Web_-P" style="background-color: transparent; color: #2f2f2f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 12px 0px;"><span class="Strong-C1" style="color: #008000; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">• Depending on temperature and moisture content, new flies will hatch in approx 2-3wks.</span></p>
<p class="Normal-_Web_-P" style="background-color: transparent; color: #2f2f2f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 12px 0px;"><span class="Strong-C1" style="color: #008000; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">• Culture media should remain moist but not runny. You may need to add more or less water to the cultures based on humidity levels (more water can always be added later if cultures begin to dry).</span></p>
<p class="Normal-_Web_-P" style="background-color: transparent; color: #2f2f2f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 12px 0px;"><span class="Strong-C1" style="color: #008000; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">• Promptly discard any moldy cultures or any cultures contaminated by mites or flying flies.</span></p>
<p class="Normal-_Web_-P" style="background-color: transparent; color: #2f2f2f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 12px 0px;"><span class="Strong-C1" style="color: #008000; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">• Start a new batch of cultures at least once a week to ensure continued production. One 32 oz culture/wk is generally sufficient for 2 adult frogs.</span></p>
<p class="Normal-_Web_-P" style="background-color: transparent; color: #2f2f2f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 12px 0px;"><span style="color: #008000; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span class="Strong-C1" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">• Prior to feeding, dump flies into a secondary container and dust with 1:1 calcium/D3:vitamin supplements. We recommend </span><span class="Hyperlink-C" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><a style="color: #1e7ec8; text-decoration: underline; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" href="https://store.frogsnthings.com/repashy-calcium-plus-3-oz-jar.html">Repashy Calcium Plus</a></span><span class="Strong-C1" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">, <a href="https://store.frogsnthings.com/dendrocare-100g-jar.html">Dendrocare</a>,  or a 1:1 mix of <a href="https://store.frogsnthings.com/repashy-supercal-medd-3-oz-jar.html">Repashy Supercal</a></span><span class="Hyperlink-C" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"> and <a href="https://store.frogsnthings.com/repashy-supervite-3-oz-jar.html">Supervite</a></span><span class="Strong-C1" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">. Please adhere to supplement expiration dates as potency rapidly declines over time.</span></span></p>
<p class="Heading-3-P" style="background-color: transparent; color: #2f2f2f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 12px 0px;"><span class="Normal-_Web_-C" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><br style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" /></span><span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: 13.33px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><strong style="font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span class="Strong-C0" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">Culturing D. Hydei</span></strong></span></p>
<p class="Normal-P" style="background-color: transparent; color: #2f2f2f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 12px 0px;"><span style="color: #008000; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><span class="Strong-C1" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">• Use directions for D. Melanogaster above, EXCEPT do NOT seed cultures with the first flies to hatch. Rather, </span><span class="Strong-C2" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">wait 10-14 days after the fist flies hatch before using the culture to seed a new one</span><span class="Strong-C1" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">. Male Hydei take longer to hatch than the females.</span></span></p>
<p class="Normal-P" style="background-color: transparent; color: #2f2f2f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 12px 0px;"> </p>
<p class="Heading-3-P" style="background-color: transparent; color: #2f2f2f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 12px 0px;"><span class="Strong-C0" style="color: #ff0000; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><a style="color: #1e7ec8; text-decoration: underline; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" name="Mites"></a><span style="font-size: 13.33px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><strong style="font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">Preventing Mites</strong></span></span></p>
<p class="Normal-P" style="background-color: transparent; color: #2f2f2f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 12px 0px;"><span class="Strong-C1" style="color: #008000; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">Mites are everywhere. They are going to get into your frog room and tanks. So, how can you keep them out of your insect cultures? Here are a few tips:</span></p>
<p class="Normal-P" style="background-color: transparent; color: #2f2f2f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 12px 0px;"><span class="Strong-C1" style="color: #008000; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">1) Always check cultures for mites, and discard any contaminated cultures immediately.</span></p>
<p class="Normal-P" style="background-color: transparent; color: #2f2f2f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 12px 0px;"><span class="Strong-C1" style="color: #008000; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">2) Microwave culture containers and media (before adding water) to kill any mites.</span></p>
<p class="Normal-P" style="background-color: transparent; color: #2f2f2f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 12px 0px;"><span class="Strong-C1" style="color: #008000; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">3) Always use the newest (and preferably never opened) producing cultures to seed new ones. This is especially effective with melanogaster as the life cycle of melanos is shorter than the mites. Thus, seeding a new culture as soon as flies emerge does not give any contaminating mites enough time to reproduce.</span></p>
<p class="Normal-P" style="background-color: transparent; color: #2f2f2f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 12px 0px;"><span class="Strong-C1" style="color: #008000; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">4) Keep cultures inside a secondary container that is lined with mite paper. To make your own mite paper, spray paper towels with miticide and let dry. I use pyrethrin/piperanyl butoxide based mite and lice spray. There are also “all natural” formulations available, but I have not tested their effectiveness. Keep in mind that “natural” or “organic” formulations are not necessarily safer than the synthetic insecticides. Case in point: batrachotoxin (dart frog toxin) is 100% natural/organic.</span></p>
<p class="Normal-P" style="background-color: transparent; color: #2f2f2f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 12px 0px;"><span class="Strong-C1" style="color: #008000; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">5) Keep older cultures in separate containers than new ones.</span></p>