Turkish Glider Fruit Fly Culture for Sale
The Turkish Glider is a feeder strain of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. It is bred for a wing trait that lets the flies glide short distances rather than truly fly. That gliding is the strain’s signature, since it can draw a stronger feeding response from dart frogs than crawling wingless flies. The strain is also prolific and has a strong reputation for steady production. It arrives as a live, producing culture in a 32oz cup with Super Swarm Media.
What Makes the Turkish Glider Different?
Most feeder fruit flies either crawl, like wingless strains, or fly off, like wild types. The Turkish Glider sits in between: it glides. As a result, the flies move enough to catch a frog’s attention without flying away across the room.
Many keepers also choose this strain because it tends to produce reliably across seasons. Compared with the fully wingless melanogaster, the main trade-off is that gliders move more.
Honest Note on Gliding and the Strain Name
These flies can glide, so they have slightly more escape potential than a fully wingless strain. However, dusted flies tend to drop rather than glide, so dusting before feeding helps keep them contained. Keep a lid handy and tap the cup down when harvesting.
Turkish Glider is also a hobby trade name. The strain is generally regarded as Drosophila melanogaster, though its exact origin is not well documented. Either way, the gliding trait does not change nutrition, so still dust the flies before feeding.
Using Your Culture
Care matches the other melanogaster strains, so the steps below are the short version.
Starting a Fresh Culture
Give a fresh culture about 10 to 12 days to lay eggs and build up. However, if the cup already holds larvae or pupae, you can feed right away.
Conditions
Keep the culture at normal room temperature and out of direct sun. Stable warmth keeps production steady.
Harvesting and Dusting
Tap flies into a separate cup, then dust them with calcium and a multivitamin before feeding. Because gliders move more, keep the lid close and tap them down between scoops.
Best For
- Dart frog keepers who want a prolific, reliable staple feeder.
- Keepers who like a fly that moves enough to trigger a feeding response.
- Small or young reptiles and amphibians, mantis nymphs, and spiderlings.
- Keepers who culture often and want steady, year-round production.
Not Best For
- Keepers who want a fully crawling, lowest-escape fly, who may prefer the wingless melanogaster.
- Larger animals, since these flies are small and best for tiny pets. For a bigger fly, try Hydei.
- Keepers who will not dust feeders, because plain flies are low in calcium.
Recommended Add-Ons
- TC Calcium Ultra Fine to dust flies before feeding.
- Wingless Melanogaster for a fully crawling fly to compare or rotate.
- Hydei Fruit Fly Culture for a larger fly as your animals grow.
- Super Swarm Dry Fruit Fly Media to culture your own flies at home.
- Springtails as a companion micro-feeder for dart frogs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Turkish Glider fruit fly?
It is a feeder strain of Drosophila melanogaster bred for a wing trait that lets the flies glide rather than fly. It is prolific and widely used as a staple feeder.
Do Turkish Gliders fly?
No, they glide short distances rather than truly flying. So they move more than wingless flies, but dusted flies tend to drop rather than glide.
How is it different from wingless melanogaster?
Wingless flies only crawl, while gliders can glide and tend to draw a stronger feeding response. Many keepers also find the glider produces reliably. See our wingless melanogaster for the crawling option.
Are they good for dart frogs?
Yes, they are a popular dart frog staple. The gliding movement can make the flies more noticeable, which some frogs respond to well.
Do I still need to dust the flies?
Yes. The gliding trait does not change the low calcium content, so dust the flies with calcium and a multivitamin before feeding.
Is the care the same as other fruit flies?
Yes. Give a fresh culture about 10 to 12 days, keep it at room temperature, then harvest and dust the flies.
Learn More About Fruit Flies
These sources cover the biology and wing genetics of the fly behind your culture.
- EBSCO Research Starter: Drosophila melanogaster. An overview of fruit fly genetics, including the wing mutations that produce strains like flightless and gliding flies.
- eLife: The Secret Lives of Drosophila Flies. A peer-reviewed look at the natural history of the fruit fly, useful background on the species behind this feeder.
- ScienceDirect: Gut Loading (veterinary overview). A reference on why feeder insects need supplementation, which supports dusting flies before feeding.
