Drosophila Observation Report

Step 1. Make Drosophila culture medium First, to prepare a culture medium, four plastic vials were obtained and labeled with numbers 1 – 4. In each of the four vials, two teaspoons of medium mixture were added. Next, using a graduated cylinder, tap water (10 mL) was added to each vial containing the culture medium. Upon addition of water, white culture medium turned blue. Additional amounts of tap water were added to each vial to provide more moisture. Next, three grains of yeast were added to each of the four vials. The vials were capped.

Step 2. Observe adults First, to observe the adults, two capped glass vials containing culture medium and Drosophila from larva to adult stages were obtained. Each of the two vials was carefully observed one at a time for natural and mating behavior. The following mating behaviors were looked for during the observation: orienting, tapping, ‘singing’, licking, attempting copulation, copulation. Observations were recorded. …show more content…
To put the flies to sleep, first, two Drosophila Anesthetizers were obtained. One of the two sponge caps was soaked in ether (1 mL). Then, the glass vial containing Drosophila was gently and quickly tapped on the lab bench to temporarily disorient the flies. The cap was removed and a Drosophila Anesthetizer was placed on over the vial. The vial and the Anesthetizer were flipped over and tapped against the lab bench to disorient the flies again. The glass vial containing the culture medium, pupa, and larva was removed and quickly replaced with the sponge cap soaked in ether. The adult flies were now in the Drosophila Anesthetizer. After the flies fell to the bottom of the container, the ether soaked sponge cap was replaced with a clean sponge