A couple of fruit fly questions

[LorenK]

I'm sure these are covered somewhere but was not able to find threads on them. I have a couple of newbie questions regarding fruit flies.

1. How often should I get new fruit fly cultures? I have been reculturing from a starter but not sure if I am supposed to get a new starter culture at some point.

2. How long do I feed from a culture? Until there are none left in the cup?

Thanks in advance!

[Ed]

I start new cultures on a weekly basis for a couple of reasons but in main because it provides an overlap in case of a crash or I get hung up and start them a little late.

You can use cultures until they don't produce any more but if you are going to do this then keep cultures older than 30 days in a seperate location (room!) than the newer cultures as this little precaution will really reduce the risk of a mite outbreak in the newer cultures.

Ed

[RecycledAgain]

I make 3 new cultures every 2 weeks for 7 frogs. 2 of meglos and the other Hydie.

1. How often should I get new fruit fly cultures? I have been reculturing from a starter but not sure if I am supposed to get a new starter culture at some point.

For a new culture I pick out one of the cups that I started just a couple of weeks before. I use a culture that is clean and just starting to bloom with flies. I haven't needed to buy a new culture in 6 months.

2. How long do I feed from a culture? Until there are none left in the cup?

As Ed mentioned I go no longer than a month, The cups start to look like a science experiment after that.

Dan