To have fruitfly as a model organism for any research purpose, first what we need is – Fruitfly.
Trapping fruitflies is as simple as their flying off from the trap.
This whole wide world is a trap,with just a suitable bait away from trapping 
:
For trapping fruitflies too, we can use different baits. But, wait how do we know which bait should be used.
So as per name signify, anything with a strong fruity smell can be used as bait like Banana (Banana peel or banana slices), mango, grapes, tomatoes (slices), onion etc.
In this lockdown period, we have used everything mentioned above and were successful in trapping flies from all the baits.
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FOR TRAPPING FRUIFLIES-
MATERIALS REQUIRED
Any available fruit
Transparent clean bottle or container
White sheet
Cotton plug or newspaper
Needle
Funnel
A piece of clean cloth
PROCEDURE -
We can set up two types of trap
1- An open trap
2- A closed trap
1 - For open trap –
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• We can simply keep the bait on a white paper and then will wait for the flies.
• SIGNIFICANCE-
- We can see life cycle of fruitflies along with circadian rhythm of fruitflies (Relax, you will get to know soon
!)
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We can observe, learn and practice to recognise male, female and gravid flies by looking at them closely and carefully.
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- For close trap-
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• We can keep the bait in a bottle and observe for the fruitflies to come.
• If using small mouthed bottle, after keeping the bait, the neck or the topmost part of the bottle should be cleaned with a piece of paper so that when the flies will come, they may not roam around the neck and goes down. Once we get flies, we will close the mouth with newspaper, tissue or cotton plug (preferably).
• If using large mouthed bottle, either we can make a hole on the cap of container or can proceed with whole lid removed.
• Once we get flies, we will close the mouth with cotton plug in the hole of the lid or cap, or can cover the wide mouth with tissue or newspaper.
FOR TRANSFERRING OF TRAPPED FLIES
1) FROM CLOSE TRAP – First, gently tap the bottle onto a soft surface (mouse pad, sponge, layers of cloth etc): this will cause the flies to fall to the bottom of the bottle and become momentarily stunned.
We will then, remove the plug from both the bottle and will invert the empty bottle on the top of the bottle with flies.
Let the flies fly upwards in the empty bottle (Flies move upwards because of their negative tactic behaviour, INTERESTING, isn’t it?), then take back the bottle once the flies are inside empty bottle.
Immediately, close the bottle then using cotton plug.
In case of wide mouthed bottle, if covering with tissue or newspaper.
Make hole on the paper with continuous tapping and invert the empty bottle over the hole and proceed as above.
Or,
You can invert a funnel (wide part) on the mouth of the bottle. Put empty bottle inverted on the smaller part of the funnel and can proceed as above.
2) FROM OPEN TRAP – Its di*fficult to transfer flies from an open trap, so close trap is preferred for capturing and culturing flies.
> GOOF UPS –
We had made several goof ups during trapping of fruitflies and following are the suggestions –
• Keep the trap near kitchen garbage or dustbin and not in study or bed room.
Think why?
• Don’t throw the bait if it gets any fungal infection (as the bait might have some eggs or larvae).
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• Using needle, can prick hole (1 or 2 enough) if newspapers or layers of tissue being used for covering the mouth of the container or bottle.
Why? (Flies are not autotrophs, isn’t it!)
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• Prefer little ripe or rotten fruits over fresh fruits.
• Clean the mouth of bottle.
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• Wash properly the containers or bottle to be used for setting traps.
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