Fruit Flies (Drosophila spp)
Key
Features of Fruit Flies
The fruit fly is a very small fly about 3mm in length. These flies have prominent red eyes and are characterised by a slow hovering flight in which the abdomen hangs down.
Biology
All fruit flies are associated with rotting fruit, vegetables or fermenting liquids. One species of fruit fly breeds in sour milk.
The fruit fly lay their eggs on top of or near rotting fruit or vegetable matter. The larvae emerge from the eggs and feed near the surface of the fermenting material for 5-6 days. The fruit fly larvae then crawl to drier areas of the food source or even out of the food source to pupate. Under ideal conditions, the life cycle of the fruit fly, from egg to adult can be completed in as little as 8 days.
Because the fruit fly frequents such unsanitary areas, it could potentially carry disease causing bacteria onto food products.
