Fly Transfer with Kistie (watching) 2021 10 04

Notes

  • Fly room is across from 4055
  • Fresh bags of vials are kept at 4 degrees, they usually have someone’s name on them if they’re taken. If not they are open to use
  • Most flies get molasses food, other foods are malt and mushroom
  • Keep the bag of vial closed so no flies get in. If there is one in there, you might have to toss the whole bag because it could have laid eggs
  • Keep the bag of cotton balls closed too

Process

  • Write on new vials before moving flies
    • Name of fly line/group on upper part of the vial
    • Date (month/day) on the line of food
    • If this is a “2nd” or “new” generation (hatched inside the previous vial) then write “N” at the bottom of the vial
  • Have the new vial and cotton ball at the ready
  • Twist the old vial while grabbing the cotton ball, most of the files will fall down
  • Keep twisting and roll the cotton ball back and forth to “scrape” off the remaining flies
  • Keep twisting vial and pull out the cotton ball
  • Keep twisting and flip the vial over to match up openings with the new vial
  • Tap both vials down ~3 times to drop the flies
  • Lift off old vial and set down
  • Push new cotton ball into the new vial: push it “rainbow side” or the smooth side down into the opening
  • Replace old cotton ball into the old vial or use a new one if needed
  • Place vials back into the tray
    • Old vials go into the same spot
    • New vial 1 row behind the others, or skip a row if “N”

Additional Fly Info

  • When to change a vial?
    • When pupal cases are not quite all the way to the top of the vial
  • When killing adults but keeping the vial
    • Make sure there are no flies are larvae/pupae in the funnel of the morgue
    • Tip over the vial and tape into the morgue funnel
    • Tap out extra flies in the funnel into the trap
  • When getting rid of whole vials
    • Put in fly trash in the fly room
    • If the bin is ¾ full, take out the bag and put in the freezer in the hallway for 24 hours, then they can be put in regular trash

CO2 Work

  • Plug in hose to the bubble into the CO2 valve at the station
  • Make sure the CO2 tank is on if no one’s in there (turn valve at station and the bubbler should bubble)
    • If not, tank in front is the CO2, do a tiny twist to open it, ~ 1/4th of a turn
  • CO2 plate should be ready to go when you open the valve at the station
  • Remove cotton plug from the vial and flip over onto the CO2 plate
  • Wait for the fallen files to sleep, then lift and tap the vial at an angle against the block so the others fall out
  • Sort them with a paint brush or feather tool
  • Don’t leave them on for more than 10 min
  • Turn off valve, unplug the hose when done. Check all valves and hoses if the last to leave in the room, turn off CO2 too