Materials for Fruit Fly Experiments

Fruit Flies

• The most commonly used fruit fly for experiments is a flightless fruit fly called Drosophila melanogaster. They can be purchased through many online science supply stores. They come as fruit fly cultures that are typically just beginning to produce fruit flies when they arrive. They will be marked with a date telling how old the culture was at the time of shipping.

Heat Sources and Thermometers

• Fruit fly cultures need to be kept at a temperature between 72 to 74 degrees Fahrenheit, and up to 80 degrees Fahrenheit for a few hours every day in order to continue producing. The warmer the culture is, the better it will be at producing live fruit flies. Because of this, you will need a heat source. In the warmer months, a sunny window will usually suffice. In the colder months, however, you will need to supply heat with either a heat lamp or heating pad. You will also need a thermometer to keep track of the temperature.

Containers

• During your experiments, you will need a container in which to keep and observe the fruit flies. This can be something you find at home, such as a clear plastic food container, or it can be something from school or a lab such as a petri dish. The container should have a lid with air holes so that you do not accidentally suffocate the fruit flies.

Other Equipment

• Fruit flies are incredibly small, so if you wish to observe them closely you will need a magnifying glass. In handling them you can either shake them out of the container they are in and into another container, or carefully remove individual flies with a pair of tweezers. You will also want to record any observations you make during your experiments, so you will need a notebook.