Common fruit fly

Drosophila melanogaster · The common fruit fly is a small fly that is attracted to rotting fruit and is often found in orchards, kitchens, and pubs on every continent.

Also called Vinegar fly, Pomace fly, Fruit fly.

Common fruit fly
Photo: Sanjay Acharya, CC BY-SA 4.0
Common fruit fly
Photo: Vengolis, CC BY 4.0
Common fruit fly
Photo: Alexis, CC BY 4.0

Taxonomy

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumArthropoda
ClassInsecta
OrderDiptera
FamilyDrosophilidae
GenusDrosophila
SpeciesDrosophila melanogaster

Where it lives

Worldwide around people; originally from sub-Saharan Africa.

Fun facts

  • In 1946, the fruit fly became the first animal ever launched into space.
  • Male fruit flies court females by vibrating their wings to play a courtship song.
  • A fruit fly can turn its body 90 degrees in less than 50 milliseconds.
  • Fruit fly sperm are very long, at 1.76 mm, and a female stores them after mating.

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Facts and taxonomy adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).