"Flies Attack" in Lab - Looking for ideas to get rid of flies... (Sep/07/2009 )

Dear all,

I am working in microbiology lab and we do prepare media in the same lab. However, we do face "flies attack" problem although we done everything we can to keep clean.

Is there any efficient way that we can keep flies out of our lab?

Thank you.

doors closed... windows closed... work in a hood or a designated room.

vetticus3 on Sep 8 2009, 02:13 PM said:

Some sticky fly traps around the area you prepare the media if you can't work in the above conditions?
I"ve never had this problem, but maybe because it was too cold for flies or that we had no access to open windows.

What sort of flies? And where do they come from? Do they come in from the outside or do they hatch out of your samples???
We are facing the problem of "small" flies (different species) or much worse mites from time to time when working with soil samples....so we keep soil etc. at a different place away from lab and media.
When the invasion comes from the outside see vetticus3s comment....

Hi All,

Yes, we work in the hood, and we do closed the doors but it doesn't help much. We don't have a special media room either, we use one room to do everything.

The small flies is similar with locally called fruit flies. It is around 3-5mm length. I'm not sure the scientific name, Drosophilla???

I really got no idea where they from. I don't think they hatch out from my samples because we discard our plates and empty our bins daily.

Any similar encounters?

does anyone in your lab/building work with drosophilla?

does anyone regularly bring fruit for lunch?

what samples do you work with?

V

Hi, Vetticus

As far as I concern, nobody in our building, department or faculty is dealing with drosophillaresearch.

Fruits for lunch...i don't think so.

Perhaps the flies were from the mortuary below? I'm not sure.

I work with burkholderia pseudomallei.

Have you tried to clean up your lab from bottom to top and discharge or clean everything contaminated with the flies? They must have some place where they can propagate.

Leave out dishes with 1/2 vol cider vinegar and 1/2 vol dish washing soap to trap fruit flies.

First he or she should determine what it is, i.e. Drosophilas or Calliphoridae/Muscidae (if they come from the mortuary) or any other family and where they come from (windows, doors or a site inside the lab). Then one can start to control them with traps or the other measures. If they have e.g. Muscidae and then use Drosophila traps that attract them then they will have finally both....