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Fall has finally fallen and it is once again that time of year when we have a giant fruit fly problem here at the Living Materials Center. We care for multitudes of animals here that get a Waldorf salad every day and that is a prime breeding ground for fruit flies. Some of these animals are slow eaters and may not choose to dine until hours later. This allows some of the fruit and vegetables to get a bit ripe.
Fruit flies lay their eggs near the surface of fermenting foods, or other moist, organic materials. The larvae hatch and feed on the goodies. The female lays about 500 eggs. The entire lifecycle from egg to adult can be completed in one week. Fruit flies are primarily nuisance pests, but it is not fun trying to work while batting flies or worry about inhaling one.
I decided this year to take an educational advantage of the overabundance of the little buggers. The smell of a pile of food draws the flies from places unknown. If the animal cage is covered with a wire mesh that permits their entry they will fill the container. It is then that their evolutionary intelligence comes into play when they can't figure out how to get out. I figured that it should become a regular display with a proper label and the whole bit.
It is a success! When the aquarium gets too crowded, I just cover the top, walk them outside, open the top and say “Your fly’s open.” This way I am killing two birds with one stone. OOPS! We don't say that in my line of work. It creates a learning center, and I get rid of a lot of flies. There, that's better.
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