Beastie Room Fruit Fly Cultures and how we make them

Beastie Room Fruit Fly Cultures and how we make them
Today we look at how we make our Fruit Fly Cultures, this is the most simple and cost effective way we have used , with no smell and good fly yields per pot, saving a fortune over the course of the year.
#daveslittlebeasties
#Fruitfliesfood
#Fruitflieculturesandhowtomakethem
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Video by Dave's Little Beasties don't forget to subscribe - Be Calm, Be Gentle and Love Your Spider

[@wynandvanzyl8798]

Thanks again Dave. I am not a spider keeper, but the beastie room fascinate me. Watch every one of them for at least a year

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Awesome my friend theres still time to join the family and get your very first spider 😂❤️

[@SandraNelson063]

Grade 10 science class.....breeding fruit flies. Learning about genetics by breeding different kinds of flies, cross breeding them like a bunch of junior mad scientists. We loved it. Mr. Hiscox always told us not to let them loose, or else they would breed with the house flies, and create a SUPER FLY! Giggles all around.

[@kimhyde7231]

Another enjoyable day at Spider School! ❤Thank you for sharing your knowledge and vast experience with us, looking forward to your next video! ❤ 🎉congratulations on reaching 70,000 subscribers too, so pleased for you 🎉

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Thank you for the support my friend ❤️❤️

[@gloriajackson2021]

Congratulations Dave on 70k subscribers!!!!

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Thank you!❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@Kaiyo_no_Ookami]

Another little tip that I found helpful: I was feeding tiny, 2-4mm “true spiders” over the winter and found that using a small (1-2” opening) bottle made getting them into the small enclosures a lot easier, BUT getting the flies into that small bottle usually made a mess. I bought a 5-inch plastic radiator funnel from the hardware store. The small end opening is roughly an inch or less. Bigger than a regular funnel, but small enough to fit inside say a repurposed herb/spice shaker bottle. It’s also lightweight and shorter than a standard funnel, so it doesn’t topple the shaker when set in the opening - handsfree. So I was able to shake the fruit flies into the funnel and right down into the bottle without losing any. And they don’t cling to the plastic like they did to the metal funnel I had been using previously. I saw the shaker suggestion on someone else’s video and thought it was a good idea, but even cold flies tended to spill out the sides during transfer from a large deli cup. 🤷🏻😊 The funnel made my life a lot easier.

[@julierobertson148]

I think these "mechanics" videos are both fun and invaluable. There's so much more to any live animal husbandry than the fun of watching the exciting bits suitable for a Sir David documentary. (You're not going to have much of a hobby if you can't sustainably feed and house the livestock.)

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Couldn't agree more!❤

[@sarahjames2991]

We have a cooking apple tree that is over 100 years old, she its huge .( yes I called her a she ) We keep a bucket full of windfalls . All I have to is take a tube give the bucket a little kick while holding the tub above they fly straight in. I used to do it for a friend of ours . Every year million of them fruit fly are just part of life 🤣🤣🤣. As always great work camera lady. Nice job Dave and for helping out fellow hobbyist to find a cheap way to get a job done . We that in todays climate .until next time 🥰🥰🥰

[@kakarikiIck]

Looks like ready break when you mixed it up wouldn’t want to eat it though. The story about the Chimpanzees making there beds was good, that must of been a great job working in a zoo.

[@ATH3IST-FLuKE]

"luckily they bounce well, lucky innit' "... 😂 Dealt with that out take like a pro. Thanks for the upload to teach us newbies how to do this without killing them off within 24hrs. I have never done that of course, I'm asking for a "friend"... honest 😬

[@whatsthetemma1308]

As usual Dave a fantastic instructional video. Brilliant tips on making your money go further.

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Glad it was helpful!❤️👍

[@elizabethdurocher8308]

Great info to start your fruit flies. Understand more each time you post a video. Thanks

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Glad you like them!❤️

[@MOONOVERMIAMI]

Hello great video information Dave

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Thanks 👍

[@janicehonea7613]

Hi Dave and Cameron lady I enjoy your channel I don't have spiders or any other creatures but I'm learning so much about spiders and fruit flies thank you for Increasing my knowledge🕷🕷🕸💖

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Our pleasure!

[@mcdazzio73]

Morning Dave & Camera lady well done on getting 70k on your community that u made and all the best for Christmas

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Thank you! You too!❤️❤️❤️

[@natashachilled6612]

You should be getting more 👍the best spider channel 💗

[@daveslittlebeasties]

❤️❤️❤️

[@HJH413]

Thank you so very much. You are a legend. Excelsior on Amazon, 10 pounds... $36 as packing material and over $310 from Josh's Frogs as fruit fly media. (I'm in the wrong business... Good on you Josh...)

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Glad to help, really annoys me how our own industry freely rips us off ❤️👍

[@Zay_562]

Another informative video. I remember I found this channel with your dubia colony setup. Been hooked ever since

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Awesome, thank you!❤️👍

[@halloooo1duuuuu]

I am a master at breeding fruit flies. I have so many, especially in my kitchen in summer. Jokes aside, I love watching your videos! They are so informative. I never thought insects could be so fascinating. Plus I have anxiety and watching the beasties calms me down. Keep up the great work!

[@patscats2080]

70k AWESOME. You deserve it. I’ve learned to love spiders because of you. They are fascinating. I don’t have as pets but watch them in my backyard.

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Wow, thank you!❤️❤️❤️

[@huntermclaren322]

Love hearing about your zoo experiences! Please share more of those tidbits as they come to your mind!

[@chrismontroe5707]

Very interesting as always Dave, will certainly help me in the future when i get into breeding my Tarantulas 👍

[@moodyshrew]

Thank you SO MUCH! Your timing is perfect. I've just brought in five tiny wolf spiderlings and have struggled with handling the flightless fruit flies for them. Hopefully someday it'll be as easy for me as it is for you!

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Glad it helped!👍❤️

[@moodyshrew]

@@daveslittlebeasties I expect it'll be an entirely different experience next time, after I pop those fast little bastards (the flies, not the spiderlings) into the fridge before feeding time. 😁

[@dldarby82]

If you can't find excelsior (wood wool), you can also use course poly-fill, which has the added benefit of not molding, since it's plastic. I've also used wine corks 😂, I just had a bunch.

[@ozbubbles1]

Thank you 🎅🤶🎄

[@Hayley0412]

Yay, 70k, that is amazing you definitely deserve the new subs 🎉🎉🎉. Your videos make everything seem so easy, you have so much experience and sharing it is a great way of encouraging the next generation of spider lovers! 🎄🤶🧑‍🎄🎅🎄🌲

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Thank you so much!!❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@donald7953]

Monday mornig with beasti.💓Than a happy chrismas for you and your Familie

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Thank you my friend ❤️

[@mikewithrow2271]

Pots of fff's here are priced reasonably and I don't have but a couple hundred slings to feed,but I do the same I save my old pots and buy the culture to keep two pots going at all times. Hopefully my workmani will drop a sack soon. I paired her twice in early November both seemed to go well tried a 3rd because it is so extremely hard to see the paring but neither was keen on it at all. And one of my chilobrachys fumosus has dropped a sack last night but,it's a phantom sack... She along with one of her sack mates molted in Sept and I've not had a male in the room since way early last year. Congratulations on the 70k I knew that would happen for you and I'm 100% confident it's just going to keep growing for you. Awesome channel and the best spider keeping information on the net for all levels in the hobby.

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Awesome thank you so very much we really appreciate your support it means a lot to us ❤️👍

[@runezohl8650]

Love your show 😉☺️😉 merry Christmas ⛄⛄⛄⛄

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Thank you! You too!❤️❤️❤️

[@JayNikki04]

Another top-notch video! Absolutely cracking! Im chuffed by all this information! Definitely helped me out with my two P. Irmina slings. This bloke knows what hes doing 1000 percent lads!

[@daveslittlebeasties]

❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@georgecardiff1946]

Absolutely brilliant Dave, very informative and very useful aswell Dave, I'm sure that this video will benefit alot of people anyway Dave another super job by yourself and camera 📷 lady Dave.

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Many thanks❤

[@craneman2201]

Thank you Dave, this video was just what I needed at the moment, especially the tip about the freezer! awesome!!

[@loolafly7967]

Whoooah you worked with chimps ? Where about if you don’t mind saying ?

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Whipsnade zoo in Bedfordshire

[@periplanetamissionary]

Yes yes I like my fruit fly cultures as pets unto themselves. They are fun to watch

[@miketheknife2]

Excellent video Dave !

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@dylanjones4348]

great video as always guys

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Glad you enjoyed it❤️👍

[@sarascott8912]

Thank you! I could not figure out what I was doing wrong, I have been making the medium too thick so the larvae couldn’t get in there.

[@rkhnd51]

I've been putting off getting jumping spiders for this very reason. So happy you simply explained how to manage this. I read somewhere that if you keep crossbreeding the same family of flies they will go back to flies with flight.

[@daveslittlebeasties]

That is correct

[@joannegalway1226]

Hi Dave and Camera Lady, 💙💕hope you’re both doing well and enjoying your Monday evening. Great informative video from The Best Beastie Room today again 😊😊 Even though I doubt that I’ll ever breed Josie, it’s not to say that I won’t purchase a sling or two in the future and now I have the knowledge, I can make a culture of fruit flies 😊 You’re a mindful of tips and tricks that If people want to save money (which in today’s climate) is invaluable. They’d be silly to ignore you! Thanks for sharing. Take care and stay safe and have a great week. 💙💕🥰🕷️xxx MERRY CHRISTMAS 🎅🤶xxx

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Thank you ❤❤❤

[@cindyedge9127]

Thank you for sharing your process! I only have 2 slings at the moment and I feel so bad wasting the fruit flys. What are you gonna do 🤷‍♀️ I want to wish you and Camera Lady a blessed holiday season from Phoenix, Arizona, USA 🌵 🎄🫶🏻

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Just cultivate smaller numbers maybe just put 10-15 flies in and see what happens you can then use less powder too 👍

[@lastkingsgaming2827]

hood rich on god my OG

[@staceynoir1988]

Fantastic video. I have jumpers along with a few T slings and always need fruit flies x

[@Alecsweet3057]

My dude!!!! You made the video awesome!! This is why you're the best!!!

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Wow, thanks!❤

[@tinareed4273]

I can’t love this enough!!! I’ve toyed with making my own, just to avoid paying for the itty bitty tube at Petsmart. I’ve just been hesitant bc I’d waste more flies than feed, honestly, bc I only have 5 slings that eat them. But I also hate paying US$7 a tube, too. :)

[@xraphaelxx]

Time to get some firebelly toads :)

[@susangrewe262]

Merry Christmas Dave and Camera Lady. 🎄I find it funny that I am watching a video on how to make more fruit flies when they tend to be the bane of my existence. 🤣🤣Always trying to get rid of the little buggers. 🪰🦟 What are the ingredients in the powder that you use? Just curious. Y’all have a lovely week and we will see you in a few days. Take care and stay safe. - Susan-

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Its a commercial powder I buy 👍

[@susangrewe262]

@@daveslittlebeasties yes, yes. But what do they make it with in general? I suppose I could look it up online. 😉

[@daveslittlebeasties]

@@susangrewe262 I dont know I havent looked 😂

[@susangrewe262]

@@daveslittlebeasties 🤣🤣 Congratulations to you and Camera Lady on 70,000 subscribers! 100,000 is just around the corner.

[@victoria_cox9489]

Brilliant!!! This will save some money ! Very informative and so easy the way you’ve explained 🙂 Cheers Dave 👍🏻

[@johnpowell351]

You make everything seem so easy 🙂 I had no idea you used to work in a zoo, which one was it ? You should do a video about that sometime 🦍🐒🐆🦁🦓 kind regards, Joanne 🐺

[@daveslittlebeasties]

It was whipsnade

[@johnpowell351]

@@daveslittlebeasties Whipsnade, there's a name I haven't heard in a while. I wrote there once many years ago, as I wanted to work with the wolves 🙃 best wishes, Joanne 🐺

[@shelleoshelle7252]

Thanks Dave

[@occupationfriends8421]

Thank you so much for making these extremely informative videos! I needed a good detailed video for these flies! ❤

[@kimhyde7231]

The wood wool is also used to pack hampers (I make up my own hampers for gifts)and I think it’s cheaper than buying specifically for cultures etc.

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Yes thats correct we mention it in the video 👍

[@Lee2k4]

Be interesting to see how you feed so many slings

[@aquilaarroyo6077]

Excellent tutorial video!! Thanks for all the great advice and info!

[@huldu]

Those things are amazing. I had no idea there even existed a flightless fruit fly. That would have made feeding so, so many years ago very simple. You can use these for pretty much anything that can fit them in their mouth, even fish I take it?

[@deewhitcha6014]

thanks for the video!

[@albarosewilliams7443]

That was really interesting. You and Camera Lady are such fun.

[@daveslittlebeasties]

❤️❤️❤️

[@TooMuchTytan]

Love the shirt❤

[@graemewright2046]

another fine educational video PROFF. some great ideas and help to the hobby. love the stories from your zoo days and please keep them coming. great camera work CAMERA LADY. what about a video on other food to culture for the hobby. many thanks guys and take care

[@daveslittlebeasties]

You got it!

[@DonisP.]

Always a pleasure Dave. I like your shirt.

[@barbhelle5481]

Thanks a bunch. I believe I can do this.

[@UncleBurntApostrophe]

Cool tutorial

[@ssizzy]

I love that shirt my guy

[@lucnadeau2821]

This is incredibly useful information. Not something which I'll personally do, but it's good to share this knowledge. On the bit of chilling/freezing prey items, I chill my banded crickets in the fridge for about 5-10 minutes. Stops them in their tracks and makes plucking them out so much easier. Thankfully, they revive in the nick of time and my Ts have always gone for them. Stay safe and thanks for sharing :)

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Works a treat 👍

[@craigscritterworld]

Good video a has thay all are

[@SpidetteGirl23]

Thanks for this video dave was looking into doing my own fruit flies for the slings i have got a roach colony going aswell now too 😊

[@gymnopholus]

Great video! The analogous term for chrysalis (butterflies/Lepidoptera) in flies/Diptera is puparium

[@melaniezagata4402]

Again another excellent informative video Dave! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Thanks, you too!❤

[@LazzevanderZee]

Hi Dave, Thank you for another awesome video! Fruit flies has always been a pain for me with the whole process of blending food, washcloths (not sure that is the correct english word) and rubber bands. But this seems like a much better approach! I've always been told that you should drop the flies into some chalk as this would kill any mites. What are your thoughts on this?

[@daveslittlebeasties]

There is no need for this to happen , years ago we used to propagate very differently so there was always the chance of introducing unwanted things into our collections but not so much now 👍

[@michaelnancyamsden7410]

Very informative. I hope to learn stuff to teach my grandson(8) all kinds of stuff. The frogs are something I could raise. Really like bioactive enclosures. Especially like your thrifty approach.

[@ChrisWard64658]

Great info thanks for sharing.

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Thanks for watching!

[@brianduffy7981]

Really good video Dave and so easy to do!!

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Glad you liked it!

[@silverknightchriscarter3512]

Excellent informative video as always Dave , thank you

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Thanks 👍

[@spottedbull]

Great information Dave! Now I can get those dart frogs I've always wanted!

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Right on!❤️👍

[@jgscatsandthings5208]

I do my own fruit fly culture as well and try having a few going at the same time. I do at times forget to make one up and it's then I'm having to buy more. I have lots of pots to put mine in, so I'm lucky I don't need more. I do find it interesting how people do it their way. I never knew about the tub, since I use something else. I thought tapping on the boxes was logical to do, to know they down, when they climb. Anyway interesting video Dave... Well done

[@bradleygarlepp511]

Should be awarded KBE

[@FC360D]

Thank you so much for doing this video I will be doing my own cultures after xmas now :D I always thought it was more difficult and you needed special stuff but I was wrong

[@daveslittlebeasties]

You can do it!

[@FC360D]

@@daveslittlebeasties Just went to order everything and was shocked at how expensive it is is, £30 due to the cost of delivery which is £25 from the pet factory. Do you know anywhere else that stocks the Drosofix or how to get around the expensive delivery?

[@daveslittlebeasties]

@@FC360D Once you have it all its cheap to continue with , buy the powder in bulk a kilo or more to save on postage , unfortunately postage theres no way round it 👍

[@ALL4TRUTHANDFREEDOM]

❤

[@laurabear4899]

Luckily they bounce well as well 😂 I was laughing so much, it’s a good job I’m at home 😂🤪 have you ever worked with wolves 🐺 Dave ? I am absolutely besotted with them and bears 🐻 I met a few wolves at a sanctuary in Reading many years ago. I was able to go into a paddock with one & the female came and laid down in front of me & I was stroking her and giving belly rubs. I was really taken aback & surprised she showed her belly to me. She obviously felt very comfortable around me

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Yes I have I used to care for a pack of 24 Timber Wolves 👍

[@laurabear4899]

@@daveslittlebeasties that would be my dream job. I fell in love with them when I was about 14 - 15 years old and am now 47 & I am still captivated by them

[@daveslittlebeasties]

@@laurabear4899 They are very interesting to work with

[@christophercunningham9303]

Good vid Dave, does the pet factory have a UK site? Because when I am searching it's only giving me European ones.

[@daveslittlebeasties]

You can order on line

[@CraigsOverijse]

Never mind saving money save the planet is importsnt plastic is hard to break down after use it does not easily biograde and lot is not recycled. If I kept spiders I would not need these I would only need to look near my fruit bowl 😂 what I would really love to feed anything is fungus gnats that just always infest my house plants I am always hoping spiders will make a web close by

[@gcrauwels941]

I'd love to see how you feed slings with these, please.

[@tinareed4273]

Just look for Dave’s sling videos.

[@stevenA44]

That one tub you got for $5, I had to pay $10.99 for at the pet shop here. Petco. They were out of the little small bottles of them that were $5.99. I'm going to order the stuff to make my own. Thanks for the tip on the wood wool. Also, I've been looking om Amazon and can't find any "packing material" like you have there on the U.S. site at all.

[@robertgaudet7407]

Use a VPN to trick Amazon into thinking you are in England. Getting them to ship to you might be a challenge though.

[@azerosblank5036]

Excelsior is cheap, but y'know what I use? Window mesh/screen. If you're really all for re-usability, these have great surface area, and easily washable. Course, I really use re-usable tubs and window mesh mainly because I don't want to have so many cups and bags of excelsior sitting around in my home and taking up space (and discarding a plastic cup after just one use based off how frequently you need to make them just makes me feel bad; not that hard to rinse the media off).

[@daveslittlebeasties]

All the tubs are used many times?

[@azerosblank5036]

@@daveslittlebeasties It's just some cheap food grade plastic reusable tubs. So it shouldn't be an issue.

[@falkhammermuller9342]

Instead of the food puree, could you use mashed bananas? Looks like the same consistency and from my experience, fruit flies live to breed in banana peel.

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Yes you can but it stinks after a short while which is why I use a commercial blend much nicer in my room 😂😂👍

[@candyscott489]

😳😊😳😳😊😳

[@benwiseman3051]

Hi dave and camera lady. Did I hear you say you use to work at a zoo dave? Which zoo and what did you do if don't mind me asking?

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Whipsnade amongst other parks and ive been lucky enough to have worked with most zoo animals over the years 👍

[@HunterSalernoDivergent259]

Hi Dave, please tell me where to purchase the pots with the yellow plugs you use in this video. I viewed the website, but can't find it.

[@daveslittlebeasties]

probably best to google them , I get mine when buying fruit flies

[@susanlynn6545]

Did you drill the 🔴⭕ holes in the tops of the containers ? Which exact kind of sponges are you using, and what size and shape did they start out as ?

[@daveslittlebeasties]

The tubs we buy in 👍

[@N3ZUK0]

thespidershop sells them really cheap

[@seevousplaytech5685]

Are these meant to be Spider food?

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Yes

[@RescueDogTreats]

I wish we had those sponge pots in the states! We don’t! 😢

[@moodyshrew]

I couldn't find any here either, so I made my own. I found small round sponges with wood stick handles in the craft department at Dollar Tree, and using a soldering iron, I cut holes a bit smaller than the sponges into the plastic lids. Much easier than taking the entire lid off for a few flies.

[@azerosblank5036]

Just make them yourself. Pretty simple. If you need to cut a hole in the lids, a simple box cutter and a lighter (to heat the knife) is more than enough to get some pretty clean cuts. If you haven't got any excelsior (wood shavings), get some window mesh. Cut them to size and place a good amount of them in your tub. Works great for me.

[@xraphaelxx]

Advice please! I think my mix is the right consistency (not too watery, not too thick) but it keeps growing mold. How do I stop this?

[@daveslittlebeasties]

is it being kept too warm ?

[@xraphaelxx]

@@daveslittlebeasties Possibly. The tubs are in the cooler part of the room, but I didn't want them to be cold incase the flies got too slow. What sort of temp should they be at?

[@Samantha-zn1hl]

@@xraphaelxx kind of late but I saw another video of someone saying they put cinnamon on top of the mix to avoid mold! Haven’t tried it myself though

[@xraphaelxx]

@@Samantha-zn1hl worth a go!

[@azerosblank5036]

You could also try to start off with boiling water and vinegar (half and half). I'm not sure about this particular media, so you might want to experiment with a small batch instead. Cinnamon doesn't really help (if you're going to add it, mix it in instead of just having it cover the top), but it does make it such that the media don't smell too bad as the culture/media ages.

[@Chickenandfriends-dj4vt]

Is anyone else searching chimps making bed zoo after this? 😂

[@daveslittlebeasties]

😂😂😂😂

[@xraphaelxx]

Do you have a link for the food mix?

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Dartfrog website

[@xraphaelxx]

@@daveslittlebeasties awesome thank you

[@lisatrowsdale1793]

Can you please send me the link for culture please

[@jabearquadpilot9615]

Dave my gbb just molted. can I send you some pictures to get your opinion on the sex?

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Check the moult is your best bet 👍

[@xraphaelxx]

Check the inside of the molt, between the book lungs (white bits on the abdomen). If there is a flap, its a female. If no flap, male.

[@mariestubbs4606]

There's no flies on you Dave ...

[@daveslittlebeasties]

😂😂😂

[@robertgaudet7407]

There may be bugs on some of you mugs…

[@vanessasmith5227]

Shame this doesn't work with house flies, bluebottles and greenbottles 🤔

[@daveslittlebeasties]

Just buy the maggots from your local fishing shop and hatch them out 👍