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Josh's Frogs is the largest supplier of 32 oz. fruit fly cultures in the world, making over 3,000 cultures every week! We offer the best cultures in the business.

Which kind of fly should I get?

Drosophila melanogaster

Drosophila melanogaster (also known as melanogaster, melanos, or mels) are likely the most commonly cultured fruit fly and measure about 1/16". These are the ideal staple food for poison dart frogs, fish, young praying mantids, juvenile frogs and toads, slings, and other reptiles, amphibians, or captive animals that require small foods. These flies lack wings, and are therefore unable to fly.

For optimal production, fruit fly cultures should be kept at 75-78°F and 60-80% humidity. Melanogaster fruit flies are generally preferred by those who are new to culturing, as this variety tends to be more forgiving and easier to culture consistently.

Drosophila hydei

Drosophila hydei (also known simply as hydei) are another commonly encountered fruit fly in the hobby. Hydei measure about 1/8”, and are quite a bit larger and ‘meatier’ than D. melanogaster – perfectly suited for the same types of animals, but that prefer slightly larger prey items. A ‘flightless’ form of hydei is most commonly available – this strain will not revert back to fliers at a higher temperature.

For optimal production, these cultures should be kept at 75-78F and 60-80% humidity. Hydei cultures are much more likely to dry out than melanogaster, which makes them more prone to crashes and grain mite infestations.

Learn more in our in-depth Melanogaster and Hydei Comparison.

What kind of cultures should I get? 

Producing

When you order "producing" cultures, it simply means they are older and should be hatching new flies within 3 days of arriving to you. These are great for when you are short on food and need feedable flies as soon as possible.

Fresh

The "fresh" cultures are made just a few days before shipping and will not produce any new flies for 2-3 weeks. These are great for when you plan ahead and want to save some money.

Feeding out flies from fresh cultures will greatly affect the production and lifespan of the culture, since you're feeding out flies that would have laid eggs and continued to repopulate.

FRESH Melanogaster Fruit Fly Cultures should NOT be fed from until 10-12 days after receiving!

FRESH Hydei Fruit Fly Cultures should NOT be fed from until 15-17 days after receiving!

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