This protocol describes a simple, cost effective way to individually identify Drosophila or other insects. Demonstration data investigating mating success across three species of Drosophila show that this method is comparable or better than the use of CO2 anaesthesia.
Verspoor, R. L., Heys, C., Price, T. A. R. Dyeing Insects for Behavioral Assays: the Mating Behavior of Anesthetized Drosophila. J. Vis. Exp. (98), e52645, doi:10.3791/52645 (2015).