Fruit Fly

Found worldwide in proximity to decaying organic matter, gardens, kitchens, and fruit markets.

Adults feed on liquids from fermenting or overripe fruits and vegetables; larvae feed on yeast and bacteria in decaying matter.

Active during daylight hours, especially near dawn and dusk; they have a very fast reproductive cycle taking about 8-10 days from egg to adult.

Primarily a nuisance pest that can contaminate food with bacteria; highly beneficial to science as a primary model organism for genetic research.