Paris IJM fly food
(adapted from the Institut Jacques Monod recipe)

1. Bring 3L of de-ionized water +34g of agar (# 20768.292, VWR Prolabo, 1kg, 75 euros HT) close to boiling in a large pot. The agar must dissolve completely.
2. Then add the dry mix =
    dry yeast 250g (#368080250, Fisher Bioblock, Brewer yeast, 407 euros HT)
    corn 250g (Westhove, 39 rue Loucheru, 62510 Arques, sac de 25kg de farigel maize H1, 66 euros HT)
3. Stir the mixture continuously and allow cooking for several minutes.
4. Remove pot from heat source and wait for 3 minutes.
5. Add 75mL of moldex solution = methylparaben (Sigma H3647, 100g dissolved into 500mL of 95% ethanol). Mix.
6. Pour food into tubes.



D. pachea:
use regular IJM fly food +7-dehydrocholesterol (7dC):
1. prepare the 7-dehydrocholesterol solution and store it at -20C wrapped in aluminium foil for several months (7-dehydrocholesterol is sensitive to light):
40mg of 7-dehydrocholesterol (Sigma, D-4429) into 4mL ethanol 100%
2. for each tube containing fly food, add 100uL of the 7-dehydrocholesterol solution using sterile pipette tips and mix with a sterile spoon.
3. transfer flies directly into freshly prepared tubes and cover with aluminium foil.
Female sexual maturation = 3 days
Male sexual maturation = 14 days
It is good to mix old males with newly hatched females to obtain eggs earlier.

D. acanthoptera:
The females are very picky about their oviposition site so they may not like the fly food if it is too dry or too wet. So don't hesitate to change vials several times until females start laying eggs. Paris IJM fly food or Banana-opuntia fly food is fine for this species.
Female sexual maturation = 7 days
Male sexual maturation = 7 days
The females only mate once and sometimes do not get enough sperm with this one mating so they will lay eggs, but they will not be fertilized.

D. nannoptera:
Paris IJM fly food or Banana-opuntia fly food is fine for this species.
This species should be easier to raise than D. acanthoptera because they are not as picky regarding their oviposition sites.
Female sexual maturation = 4 days
Male sexual maturation = 8 days

For these 3 species, it may help to add paper once there are many larvae in the food. The animals use this extra surface area for pupation. Make sure that the paper is sterile and so are your hands when you put it in the vial