Fruit Fly
Family Drosophilidae
Physical Features
The most distinguishing feature is the Fruit Fly’s red eyes. These flies are about 1/8 inch long with a tan body with a black rear. They are covered with small hairs.
Life Cycle
Complete Metamorphosis
Females lay up to 500 eggs on surfaces of fruits or vegetable. The larva will hatch and begin to feed on this material. The larva will molt twice as they continuously feed on the surface of their food. They will move to a dry area near the original food source to pupate. The development to the adult stage takes typically 7 days in prime environmental conditions.
Habits
- Diet: Prefer to feed on rotting fruits and vegetables, but will feed on any fermenting materials including in drains, trash containers, and mops.
- Activity: Year round inside a structure. Outside more common summer/fall.
- Preferred Climate: 75-85 degree Fahrenheit
- Defense: Fast breeding cycle can keep them populating in high numbers making it hard to control populations.
- Cautions: Mainly a nuisance, however, they have potential to contaminate food with bacteria. One single rotting food source can breed thousands of fruit flies
- Home Invasion: Brought in when contaminated fruits and vegetables are transported into the home from garden or grocery. Can also enter home through doors or windows left opened or not properly sealed.
Helpful Hints for Control
- Ensure door and window screens fit tightly.
- Discard, eat or refrigerate ripened fruits and vegetables.
- Locate and eliminate/sanitize source of infestation.
- Residual insecticide application in specific target points for fruit flies.
Interesting Fact
Studying fruit flies has been an important in the study of genetics.
