Fruit Fly
Scientific Name: Drosophila melanogaster (common species, but could be other Drosophila species)
Order & Family: Diptera (Order), Drosophilidae (Family)
Size: Typically 2-4 mm (0.08-0.16 inches) long.
Natural Habitat
Commonly found indoors, especially around decaying fruit, vegetables, and fermenting liquids. Outdoors, they are found near ripe or rotting vegetation.
Diet & Feeding
They feed on fungi and yeast found on fermenting fruits, vegetables, and other organic matter. Larvae also feed on these decaying substances.
Behavior Patterns
Fruit flies are attracted to fermenting sugars. They have a short life cycle (about 7-10 days from egg to adult). Females lay eggs on the surface of fermenting food. They are typically seen flying in small swarms around their food source.
Risks & Benefits
Potential risks include being a nuisance pest indoors and potentially contaminating food with bacteria and other microorganisms if present in large numbers. They are not known to bite or transmit diseases directly to humans. Benefits include their use as a model organism in genetic and biological research.
Identified on: 9/4/2025