Flies in my microworm culture

[dennysfishroom]

I had to start over with my micoworm culture, and I'm noticing that fruit flies have decided they want to lay eggs in the containers. I've been using the plastic deli containers. They are tight enough that I have to poke holes in the lid to prevent the lid from blowing off from the CO2 the yeast makes. I use a stright pin which makes a really small hole. No way a fly could get in. Are they just inserting the ovipositor through the tiny hole, and laying their eggs? I may have to re-think my procedures. Denny

[etheonut]

Put a layer of cheese clothe on top of the lid. If they are depositting the eggs through the lid, this should stop them.

Also, if it is moist enough on the inside of the contained then they would simply lay the egg "in the hole" on the bottom of the lid.
This would allow the larvae to hatch and crawl down into the culture. You should be able to see signs of this.

You would also store you cultures in an aquarium with a couple geckoes. This would feed the geckoes and keep your cultures cleaner at the same time .

Kevin