Vinegar Fly
Ferment Fly
Click to enlarge image
© Australian Museum
Fast Facts
-
Classification
- Genus
- Drosophila
- Species
- melanogaster
- Subfamily
- Drosophilinae
- Family
- Drosophilidae
- Super Family
- Ephydroidea
- Order
- Diptera
- Class
- Insecta
- Subphylum
- Uniramia
- Phylum
- Arthopoda
- Kingdom
- Animalia
-
- Size Range
- 3 mm - 4 mm
Introduction
The Vinegar Fly is a small, yellowish fly with distinct red eyes and is commonly seen around rotting fruit.
The ferment fly Drosophila melanogaster (‘dark-bellied dew-lover’) may one day become Sophophora melanogaster (‘dark-bellied carrier of wisdom’). Scanning electron micrograph Sue Lindsay. Colouring Jeremy Austen.
Image: Sue Lindsey© Australian Museum
Habitat
The Vinegar Fly is found in urban areas.
Distribution
The Vinegar Fly is found throughout Australia.
Feeding and diet
The Vinegar Fly is not actually a fruit fly as it does not feed on fruit directly, just the yeasts associated with rotting fruit. The name 'fruit fly' is more correctly applied to flies in the family Tephritidae.The larvae feed on the bacteria and yeast found in rotting fruit.
Economic impacts
The Vinegar Fly is commonly found in genetics laboratories around the world. This is probably the most studied of all animals (besides humans) and has contributed greatly to our understanding of genetics. Its short life cycle of only a couple of weeks makes it ideal for genetic research.
The larvae can cause great problems for wineries and fruit-juice producers.
