2 replies to this topic

[SheepForgeBoi]

So my cultures of fruit fly both have some sort (or two sorts) of mites. I saw white ones and brown-ish ones. I think I heard that the white ones are harmless but I am unsure. I normally just freeze all the fruit flies to store them. So what should I do? Throw the cultures away? Or will freezing them kill the mites? Thanks

[drtrmiller]

They're not harmful, but may cause an annoyance if introduced to and allowed to proliferate in an unkempt formicarium with lots of organic material for the mites to eat.  You can freeze the fruit flies before offering to your ants, which will kill the mites, with no loss in receptivity.

Edited by drtrmiller, May 25 2018 - 8:05 AM.

[T.C.]

Unless I am feeding mantises, I freeze my fruit flies and crickets. Which like terry said, does kill mites.