Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am seeing these tiny white bugs (not pupa) in one of my cultures. Im beginning to think theyre mites.

Anyone know how to get rid of them? I threw away this culture, but am keeping my other ones. The one with the mites was near my other cultures though, and i heard they might be transfered. Should i just throw away all my cultures and sart over? I can order pinheads until then if i have to...

Also, there is always this nasty red mold in some of my cultures. Anyone know how to get rid of that too?

I am using instant mashed potatoes, powdered sugar, water, and yeast. Ive heard too much yeast is bad, and too little yeast isnt effective. How much exactly should i use? Also, what is the yeast used for?

Thanks for the help,

M.N

Someone posted a great idea about dusting any flies to be used in new cultures with flower. Any "pasengers" on the flies will fall off with the flower because they cant keep a grip onto the fly. You then obviously discard the flower and add the clean flies to the culture. As far as the curent problem, to prevent mites spreading to the other healthy cultures, sprinke an insecticide powder on the surface that the cultures are resting. When the mites try to spread they will be killed by the powder. I think any flea/tick/ant powder will work.

Mold is an easily cured problem. When you make your cultures, add some vineger. Problem solved. The one that is getting the mold in it now can be saved by spraying some vinegar inside the culture with a regular spray bottle.

Brewers yeast should be used at about one part brewers yeast and 3 parts potato flakes. That is what the flies eat (Im pretty sure)

Heres some info you might find helpful; its a post I wrote at a different forum about how I make my cultures.

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I now pre-mix all the following wet ingreients: Apple sause (half a jar), molasses (I dont measure, I just pour a good-looking amount in), a musshed up bannana, and some grape juice concentrate. I keep all that yummy slurry jarred up in the fridge untill I need a new culture. I have a zip-lock bag of potato flakes and brewers yeast pre mixed as well. (again at 3:1)

My procidure for making new cultures

1) Scoop 4 tbl spoons of my delicious refridgerated fruit mix into a culture container (from blackjungle.com)

2) pour in 2 tbl spoons each of water and vinegar

3) mix in 4 tbl spoons of the yeast/flakes mix

4) stir untill its nice and pasty. If is to thick or still flaky, I add more water/vinegar. Vice versa, if its too runny, I add more flakes. Simple eh?

5) throw in some window screen for larva to crawl on, a few flies, and close lid. Clean up takes a matter of miutes and best part is, you dont have to worry about preparing, boiling, pouring, storing, or cleaning any of that putrid power mix crap! Not only that, but I think when you store the power mix it looses a lot of its effectivness. With my method, all the active ingredients stay separate and fresh untill the last minute. So thats my method that I have been using succesfully for 4 months now.

Good luck!
-David Taylor
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"The day we would limit ourselves or adapt to the music scene, would be the day Opeth dies." -Mikael Akerfeldt; lead singer and genious behind the metal band Opeth.

You might be able to salvage without ordering by using cultures that don't seem to have mites or starting to mold and use it for starting new cultures. Use methyl paraben or calcium propionate if you can get some (chemistry student friends?) otherwise vinegar will work. Place cultures in new area away from old ones. If you rotate placement of cultures you can avoid mites without insecticides. If your cultures starts to take off, the larves and yeast should help keep mold down. Keep jars clean and surrounding area clean will help. If you still have mites, kill all cultures, dust surfaces and start over would be best.

WM