Fruit Fly Larvae

Commonly found near fermenting organic matter, ripe fruits, rotting vegetables, and drains.

Larvae feed on microscopic yeast, fungi, and bacteria growing on decaying organic material.

They are primarily active in warm, moist environments; the life cycle is rapid, progressing from egg to adult in about 8-10 days under ideal conditions.

Primarily a nuisance pest in homes; while they can mechanically transfer bacteria from contaminated surfaces to food, they are major model organisms in genetic research and aid in decomposition decomposition.