Drosophila Chemotaxis Assay

2 empty fly vials

1 T-joint piece for connecting tubing

2 1mL pipette tips

2 soft foam plugs for fly vials

1 fly vial plug

Benzaldehyde

1-hexanol

Water

Building the maze:
Push pipette tips through soft foam plugs length-wise
 
Cut tips off pipette tip (leave a hole big enough for flies to fit through
Attach other end of pipette tip to arms of the T-joint piece

Cut white fly vial plug in half, push one half to the bottom of each fly vial

Soak plug in one vial with 1mL 1-hexanol (fly attractant) or benzaldehyde (fly repellant).
Soak the other plug with 1mL water.
Fit plugs over the soft foam plugs on the arms of the maze.

Anesthetize flies and put them into the remaining arm of the T-joint piece.  Do not tip the flies into the side chambers!  Block hole in the maze so flies do not escape.

Lay maze on its side in well-lit area.  Make sure the arm of the T-maze that is not attached to a chamber is not pointed up, as flies will try to climb into that arm instead of the chambers.  Let rest for 10 minutes.

Record percentage of flies that are in each chamber.

Perform weekly to observe decline in odorant sensing.