Imagine having 500 children. Seems like a lot right? Well, that is roughly how many offspring each female fruit fly is capable of producing in her lifetime. But we should note that she doesn’t have to take care of them for very long. Why? Her average lifespan and that of her offspring is a mere two months. Of course for these tiny insects, much can happen in two months.
The first week of life is typically spent reaching adulthood. During that time, they go through pupation and emerge almost ready to mate. There is generally only a 48 hour delay from the end of that phase until the urge to reproduce takes over the 1/8-inch long flies. Bear in mind, they are designed to mate once but generate offspring many times until their ultimate death, which we’ve already indicated happens within less than two months.
Despite their race from cradle to grave, fruit flies have the potential to become a serious nuisance. As they increase in number, they will not only swarm but cause damage to food. The damage is typically a result of the species’ larvae tunneling into any available food source. And their food source isn’t restricted to fruits. The annoying flies will destroy vegetables and clog up household drains too. In addition, they may sicken humans.
Insect studies have made clear that fruit flies are quite capable of carrying E. coli and other infectious agents. They carry the harmful bacteria and fungi in, or on, their bodies. Thus, when they make contact with a shared food source, they inadvertently leave some of the bacteria or fungi behind. Unfortunately, the shed materials are capable of living outside of living hosts. So they often remain in place until coming in contact with domestic pets or humans.
To learn more about the problems fruit flies may create for living things and how to counteract them, please contact us today.
