Simple Drosophila (fruit fly) containers using Gatorade bottles.

So, the last time I had this mantis hobby I used Gatorade bottles and small pieces of cloth, which I washed and reused. However, I did not like that the cloth  got so dirty over time and I changed from using rubber bands from attaching the fine screen to the bottle cap, itself. Additionally I found that the lower cap portion can be pressed onto the top cap to form a tight band to keep the screen in place, without the need for glue. The process for making this type of container is very easy. Everything (except for the flies themselves and the media, or food) is washed with very hot soapy water, rinsed, dried and frozen to prevent any problems with parasitic mites.

 

 

So, here is what you will need to make a fruit fly rearing container from a Gatorade bottle:

- An empty washed Gatorade bottle with both top and bottom lid parts.

- A razor blade or other cutting utensil

- Some form of very fine screen that does not allow for any fruit flies to pass through

- Scissors (preferably fabric scissors)

- A cutting board to keep from gouging a nice surface from the razor blade

First: remove the top and bottom portions of the lid from the Gatorade container.

 

 

Second: Put the bottom lid piece over the top to ensure a tight fit. Some other brands of bottles, like Vitamin Water, will also work but others will not.

 

Third: Cut a hole in the top lid (as large as possible while maintaining structural integrity) The bottom lid piece can be on or off during this process.

 

Fourth: Cut a piece of fine screen large enough that there will be plenty of room fit it over the lid.

Fifth: Remove the bottom lid piece from the top lid piece, put the screen on the top lid piece and push the bottom lid ring over the screen around the top lid as far down as possible. The harder it is to put the ring on, the more secure the screen will be.

Sixth: Check to make sure the lid fits properly on the container.

 

 

Finally: Put in fruit fly media and substrate for immature larvae to pupate on and adults to stay on. My substrate is reusable plastic screen used for holding produce, such as oranges. This is also washed, dried and frozen along with the rest of the container.

 

 

 

As a side note: For those of you who are used to making fruit fly cultures with a deli cup and cloth insect lid, using Gatorade containers creates much more condensation when the culture is placed over a heat source. Make sure to make your culture much drier than you would do with a deli cup culture.

An old d. Hydei culture that will need to be tossed soon.