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Galaxytripper
ExpertNovice


Registered: 09/08/13
Posts: 362
Loc: Pacific NorthWest
Last seen: 5 months, 28 days
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Fruit flies
#23516390 - 08/06/16 04:21 PM (7 years, 5 months ago) |
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Yes, use tape over the holes of your BRF jars! No, don't use tape over the holes of your BRF jars. One person says this; another that. Uh, yes, do use tape over the holes of your BRF jars!
Last year, when I grew BRG cakes, I used porous tape over the holes (and I assume I did everything else right because I got a couple of great flushes). This year, not particularly hot in Seattle, but I decided on advice NOT to use tape over the holes, for "better oxygen exchange". Look what happened! Damn muthafukkin' fruit flies that found their way into what I assumed to be tiny holes. They've affected half a dozen or so of my 12 jars. And yes, they must have burrowed their way into the top layer of vermiculite. I had carried out correct sterilization procedures, swabbing everything with alcohol too, before inoculation. So I'm saying, yes, do use tape over the holes of your BRF jars! It's not going to hurt oxygen exchange and only leaves you open to unwelcome insect guests.
How come no-one here mentioned this menace? Or did I miss that one?
Question is: can I, or should I still use the jars? The flies look freshly dead in the main. It's not like they have mold. Penny for them?
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tombosley8
Full on... Bossley Baggins



Registered: 10/14/13
Posts: 3,660
Last seen: 8 months, 4 hours
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no start over. just dump those out in the trash outside and reuse the jars. yes you can use micropore tape over the holes to prevent this...
brf cakes don't need a ton of "gas exchange" also referred to as GE. Oxygen is not the only thing exchanging.
most people do not get this problem with open holes and a good verm barrier but the location you are storing them must have those flies.
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Edited by tombosley8 (08/06/16 04:28 PM)
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Galaxytripper
ExpertNovice


Registered: 09/08/13
Posts: 362
Loc: Pacific NorthWest
Last seen: 5 months, 28 days
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Yes, well, I am storing them in the basement, which although cool, must still be warm enough to attract them. I have the cakes in a small aquarium turned on its side. I had a plastic flap taped over the open side, plus a white net-type cover used in gardening to cover vegetables. All that, and they still got in. When I opened the cover, you're right, I saw them flying around. B'stards!
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Galaxytripper
ExpertNovice


Registered: 09/08/13
Posts: 362
Loc: Pacific NorthWest
Last seen: 5 months, 28 days
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Now that I've opened a couple of the contaminated cakes, I see how they got in. Sometimes the cakes shrink a little. When that happens, it creates a significant gap down the side of the jar, ample for the fruit flies to get in and feast sumptuously.(Burp!)
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tombosley8
Full on... Bossley Baggins



Registered: 10/14/13
Posts: 3,660
Last seen: 8 months, 4 hours
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the cake shouldn't shrink much before full colonization. But possibly enough while consolidating. Either way if those flies crawl into the jar they will be able to get through the verm barrier IMO.
just use micropore and it should solve the prob. GOOD LUCK
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Galaxytripper
ExpertNovice


Registered: 09/08/13
Posts: 362
Loc: Pacific NorthWest
Last seen: 5 months, 28 days
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Yes, true, that's exactly what happened. The flies were able to crawl through the verm layer with ease.
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bodhisatta 
Smurf real estate agent


Registered: 04/30/13
Posts: 61,889
Loc: Milky way
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solve the root of the problem, get rid of the fruit flies in your house.
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tombosley8
Full on... Bossley Baggins



Registered: 10/14/13
Posts: 3,660
Last seen: 8 months, 4 hours
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how would you recommend this? If he has them in the basement would he have to screen over all vents and such? what would be the source?
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bodhisatta 
Smurf real estate agent


Registered: 04/30/13
Posts: 61,889
Loc: Milky way
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usually they come from drains. put out vinegar traps and clean every sink drain and floor drain out periodically.
if a whole brewery can deal with fruit fly problems you can do so at home
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BaronVonBud
Stranger

Registered: 07/14/16
Posts: 143
Last seen: 7 years, 3 months
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Hot shot no pest strips = no fruit flys, no gnats
-------------------- <iframe src="//giphy.com/embed/Z7TvUbQHuFdBu" width="480" height="352" frameBorder="0" class="giphy-embed" allowFullScreen></iframe><p><a href="http://giphy.com/gifs/rock-flag-eagle-Z7TvUbQHuFdBu">via GIPHY</a></p>
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BaronVonBud
Stranger

Registered: 07/14/16
Posts: 143
Last seen: 7 years, 3 months
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They come up sinks but also in your groceries
-------------------- <iframe src="//giphy.com/embed/Z7TvUbQHuFdBu" width="480" height="352" frameBorder="0" class="giphy-embed" allowFullScreen></iframe><p><a href="http://giphy.com/gifs/rock-flag-eagle-Z7TvUbQHuFdBu">via GIPHY</a></p>
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