What is a fruit fly? Detailed answer

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What is a fruit fly? Detailed answer

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What is a fruit fly?

You may have noticed that when the fruits fall, they lie for several days and begin to rot, then as if small flies often appear on them from nowhere. Where do they come from and what kind of flies are these?

There are two types of fruit flies. The Mediterranean fruit fly is similar to a house fly with orange and black markings. This is one of the most harmful species.

Females of this species of flies lay their eggs in unripe fruits and vegetables. And when young flies are born, they feed on the pulp of the fetus.

Thus, the entire crop can be destroyed.

A tiny fly flying over rotting fruits in our home is called Drosophila. She is safe. The female flies, looking for rotting fruits, and lays her eggs only in those fruits that have already begun to rot. Newborn flies feed on only those substances that are formed in rotting fruits.

Drosophila, or the tiny fruit fly, is one of the most useful insects known to science because it is used in the study of heredity, that is, those qualities that pass from parents to offspring. If this problem were studied on the example of people, one would have to wait a very long time while generations develop. For example, to study 30 generations, one would have to spend 500 years or even more. But using fruit flies, you can study 30 generations in one year.

Here's how scientists use fruit flies in their experiments. The flies are grown in the laboratory using a special solution called "medium". In about ten days, fruit flies have time to emerge and become adults. And on the tenth day they are ready to mate and produce new offspring.

Flies can be crossed in various combinations according to the wishes of the scientist. In a few hours, Drosophila females can lay enough eggs to make a thousand new flies that are born on the same day! They can be studied with the naked eye and with the help of surgical operations performed under a microscope. Most of our knowledge of heredity was obtained through the study of Drosophila flies!

Author: Likum A.

Random interesting fact from the Great Encyclopedia:

What music fascinates snakes the most?

It doesn't matter - the snakes are all the same.

A cobra protruding from the caster's basket reacts to the sight of the flute, not to its sound.

Music as such is not heard by snakes, although, of course, they are not deaf. Yes, they do not have eardrums and external ears, but snakes perfectly feel the vibration transmitted from the ground to their jaws and abdominal muscles. In addition, through their inner ear, they seem to be able to recognize those sounds that are carried through the air.

It was believed that snakes do not hear at all, because they do not react to loud noise, but the results of a study conducted at Princeton University indicate that snakes have very good hearing. The Americans figured out how the snake's inner ear functions. The experimental reptiles were connected to voltmeters, and then the impulses in the brain were measured depending on the sounds heard nearby. It turns out that snake hearing is "tuned" to the frequency range of vibrations and sounds that only larger animals produce. Therefore, music for snakes does not make any sense.

The "enchanted" cobra, feeling threatened, stands erect and begins to sway in time with the movements of the instrument. If the snake tries to bite the flute, it will certainly get hurt, so it will not do this a second time.

Most cobras have their venomous teeth removed beforehand, but even so, a cobra can only strike at a distance not exceeding the length of its own body - much like if you put your elbow on a table and try to hit the table with your fist.

The cobra posture is defensive, not aggressive.

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