FLYDE Plate: Open Source Anesthesia Labware for Drosophila Fly-Pushing!

One of the most important pieces of equipment used in labs in culturing populations of fruit flies (Drosophila sp.) is that of the “CO2 gas plate”, which is used to anesthesize individuals during “fly-pushing”. This piece of equipment consists of a box with a porous top into which carbon-dioxide is pumped. Flies placed on its surface are left immobilized, permitting the sorting, categorizing and/or counting of flies during population culturing and experimental assays. Unfortunately, commercially available gas plates are typically expensive. Here, we describe a new design for a gas plate that can be easily produced using a 3D printer and a laser cutter, which we are making freely available to the fly community.