Insect DNA purification kits are capable of isolating genomic DNA from arthropods such as Drosophila. Insect tissues often feature an exoskeleton composed of chitin, a structural polysaccharide that is comparable to plant cellulose. Thus additional preparatory steps in homogenizing insect tissue, such as by freezing and grinding, may improve DNA yields. The extracted DNA should be suitable for molecular biology applications, such as amplification and sequencing.