Fly Aspirator Tube: A Simple Tool to Transfer Live Drosophila

Abstract

Source: Barradale, F., et al. Quantification of Drosophila Grooming Behavior. J. Vis. Exp. (2017).

This video describes one method to build a fly aspirator, which can be used to transfer insects between enclosures without anesthesia. The aspirator in the example protocol was prepared for an experiment to quantify individual grooming behaviors

Protocol

This protocol is an excerpt from Barradale et al., Quantification of Drosophila Grooming Behavior, J. Vis. Exp. (2017). Prepare an aspirator for moving live Drosophila from a culture vial to the grooming chamber. Aspirators allow transfer of conscious animals to the behavioral chambers to ensure that anesthesia does not affect subsequent behavioral observation. Using scissors cut 1.5 feet of tygon tubing ID 1/8", OD 1/4…

Materials

High-Flex Tygon PVC Clear Tubing	McMaster-Carr	5229K54	ID 1/8", OD 1/4", used with micropipettor tips and mesh to construct mouth aspirators
Micropipette tips (1 mL and 200 μL)	Genesee Scientific	24-165, 24-150R
Nylon Mesh Screen, 2 x 2.6"	McMaster-Carr	9318T44	Used to construct grooming chamber and mouth aspirators