How to Differentiate Between Species of Fruit Flies

Fruit flies are one of the most widespread and diverse creatures on earth. With hundreds of genera containing many thousands of species of fruit flies, the animal is a fascinating example of the diversity of life. While differentiating between fruit fly species takes knowledge and expertise, it can be done with a little help from taxonomy guides and the Internet.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Distinguish between the two major families of fruit flies, Tephritidae and Drosophila (the common fruit fly) by paying attention to the location of the flies. Tephritidae is more commonly found in natural and agricultural settings while Drosophila is found in urban environments and indoors.

2. Identify a list of morphological features that can help you differentiate between different sub-families of the flies. Consider the length and width of the insect, the wingspan, coloration and the environment to as exact a location as possible to help narrow down the possible species. Collect as much information as possible since no single morphological feature distinguishes between genera.

3. Search the Fruit Fly Database by using the Specimen Database or the periodical search function. Use as high of a level of detail as possible but don't conjecture or guess about morphological, regional or behavioral information you aren't completely sure about.

4. Go to the amateur experts on forums such as InsectNet.com or the Insect Hobbyist forum to ask specific questions about fruit flies you're researching. If you have photos of the flies, post them to the forum and make it clear that you're trying to find the species of the flies but be willing to accept any taxonomy information that someone's willing to share.

Resources

• Fruit Fly Database
• Insect Net