I bought a hydei fruit fly culture from josh's pets and now that I think back a few days when it was brand new the top surface of the media did look kind of bumpy like granules of sand. Its now just over a week since I received the culture in the mail and it is absolutely loaded with mites from top to bottom. He claims in his video about mites that the mites are not a problem but I have my doubts...
Smertrios2007 yeah the mites can cause your cultures to crash or not produce as well. He states that all of hobbyists have grain mites some degree Which isn't true. Regardless it shouldn't be out of hand to that extent especially when they know how to take preventative measures. Ever since I got rid of the cultures from Josh's Frogs I haven't been having any mites. New England Herpetoculture has mite free cultures
Smertrios2007 Hey so I just ordered a culture from joshs frogs a week back and I just had to throw it away because of the mite issues, and they make me itch like crazy. I’m gonna have to order another one with my mantis when I get him. Where did you purchase your fruit flies after that incident?
I'm raising black soldier flies and mealworms and I keep getting grain mites. Is there a risk with mites climbing on top of surfaces and dropping down into it? Such as if they were to climb up onto your walls and be blown onto the lids or do down from the ceiling or shelving? Found this video on: www.dendroboard.com/threads/how-i-conquered-grain-mites.259402/ Vaseline is not mite-proof. You didn't recommend it, I'm just saying I've watched mites walk across it. Most will accumulate by it but I promise you that I watch them go across it. I tried it with the Vicks added to it which should be more repellent than just plain Vaseline.
I don't freeze the cultures for mites I freeze it so it freezes the media that's left over in the bottom of the cultures and they pop right out. it's so I can get the stuff out of the bottom and clean them out and reuse them.
steve187 they come like that but I would not suggest using them because wild flies either lay their eggs around the holes or maybe they breathe through the holes or they just walk into the holes but I have had too many issues with Flyers because of those punched lids. I went to Repticon one time and there was a vendor that was using those Lids in the Flies were just walking straight out of the culture. I use fabric lids
Thank you very much for the fruit fly culture recommendation! I have started dating my cultures and using diatomaceous earth to prevent contamination of other cultures, but to no avail. Hopefully buying from your recommended source will help me to end these little pain in the butts! I really like Josh's Frogs, but they definitely have a problem with mites in their cultures and my cultures are proof of this. I appreciate your help! Take care.
azeotrope87 yeah your have to start all over. Once there is mites there is no controlling them. This is actually an old video I have a more updated one, I think.
You're still helping people in 2021 :)
Anyone still has his media recipe? His link is broken already…
awesome! this is exactly what I was researching. what's your media recipe?
John Ivery it's mentioned in the description of the video
I bought a hydei fruit fly culture from josh's pets and now that I think back a few days when it was brand new the top surface of the media did look kind of bumpy like granules of sand. Its now just over a week since I received the culture in the mail and it is absolutely loaded with mites from top to bottom. He claims in his video about mites that the mites are not a problem but I have my doubts...
Smertrios2007 yeah the mites can cause your cultures to crash or not produce as well. He states that all of hobbyists have grain mites some degree Which isn't true. Regardless it shouldn't be out of hand to that extent especially when they know how to take preventative measures. Ever since I got rid of the cultures from Josh's Frogs I haven't been having any mites. New England Herpetoculture has mite free cultures
dragonspirit1185 its inpossible to get it 100% mite free even with DE around it
Smertrios2007 Hey so I just ordered a culture from joshs frogs a week back and I just had to throw it away because of the mite issues, and they make me itch like crazy. I’m gonna have to order another one with my mantis when I get him. Where did you purchase your fruit flies after that incident?
I'm raising black soldier flies and mealworms and I keep getting grain mites. Is there a risk with mites climbing on top of surfaces and dropping down into it? Such as if they were to climb up onto your walls and be blown onto the lids or do down from the ceiling or shelving?
Found this video on:
www.dendroboard.com/threads/how-i-conquered-grain-mites.259402/
Vaseline is not mite-proof. You didn't recommend it, I'm just saying I've watched mites walk across it. Most will accumulate by it but I promise you that I watch them go across it. I tried it with the Vicks added to it which should be more repellent than just plain Vaseline.
does freezing the mites with eggs for a few days kill them off or do they go into hibernation mode and come back when temperature stabilizes again?
I don't freeze the cultures for mites I freeze it so it freezes the media that's left over in the bottom of the cultures and they pop right out. it's so I can get the stuff out of the bottom and clean them out and reuse them.
why want to put the fruit fly culture in the fridge???
Love the vid bud. Just for future reference it is pronounced “die-o-tome-aish-us earth”
Hi browski. How you make the cup lid 😯
steve187 they come like that but I would not suggest using them because wild flies either lay their eggs around the holes or maybe they breathe through the holes or they just walk into the holes but I have had too many issues with Flyers because of those punched lids.
I went to Repticon one time and there was a vendor that was using those Lids in the Flies were just walking straight out of the culture.
I use fabric lids
dragonspirit1185 the Mites gonna go on you
steve187 I don't have issues with mites however I switch the fabric woods these lids aren't good
Thank you very much for the fruit fly culture recommendation! I have started dating my cultures and using diatomaceous earth to prevent contamination of other cultures, but to no avail. Hopefully buying from your recommended source will help me to end these little pain in the butts! I really like Josh's Frogs, but they definitely have a problem with mites in their cultures and my cultures are proof of this. I appreciate your help! Take care.
azeotrope87 yeah your have to start all over. Once there is mites there is no controlling them. This is actually an old video I have a more updated one, I think.