These are very bad news for our cultures, so let's just run through mite hygiene again:

- mites are small white cream-coloured discs with legs underneath. They're just visible with the naked eye, but should be easily seen under a microscope.

- if you find mites, keep the stock tray quarantined (on your bench, away from the fly room), and seek advice on how to clear the stocks (usually by transferring clean eggs: more detail at http://www.fruitflies.net/mites.htm).

-treat all incoming stocks - and absolutely those from Vienna - as potentially infected, and quarantine on your bench, preferably with a 'moat' of paraffin oil, for at least 6 weeks, until you are absolutely happy there are no mites.

- mites thrive on sick flies in old cultures. Be scrupulous about throwing out old vials, and if you see any, have a word with the owner. If you see vials for whom the owner can't be identified, throw them away!

- when you do use the pads in the flyroom, wipe down the pads and the bench area where you were working with alcohol after use. Not just for quarantined stocks - every time. That's what the alcohol wash-bottles are for.

Julian, 11/11/2007