FRUIT FLY REPRODUCTION RATE

Fruit flies are commonly found in restaurants, homes, warehouses and food storage places as well as groceries, cellars and any places including rotting and fermenting food. Adult fruit flies have red eyes and 3 – 4 mm in length. The front part of fruit fly body is brown – yellow or brown in color whereas there are some black stripes in the back. Male and female participate in a dancing party before mating. Males approach females, knock their leg on female head with beat. After that, both of them pull their leg from side to side while facing each other. Before finishing, males spread wing widely and twist the edge down.

Fruit flies reproduce very quickly. The female can lay approximately 500 eggs and they pass through larval, pupal stage and become adult in several days. Fruit flies commonly lay eggs in moist organic materials or near the surfaces of fermented foods. After emerging from eggs, they eat decayed material in fermenting food.

FRUIT FLY REPRODUCTION RATE DATA

Fruit flies reproduce at astonishing rates. Their rapid reproduction has made them both valuable research subjects and formidable pests.

Female fruit flies are capable of laying hundreds of eggs within their brief life spans. Eggs are most commonly laid on moist, fermenting food masses such as overripe fruit and vegetables. Within 24 to 30 hours, fruit fly eggs hatch into larvae known as maggots. These maggots feed on the fruits within which they were laid.

Within one week, maggots burrow through the decaying matter and molt. After five to six days, larvae move to a dry surface and transform into pupae. A few days later, adult fruit flies emerge. Fruit flies become sexually active within two days of emerging as adults. Female fruit flies may mate with several males and store sperm for future use.