How Fast Do Fruit Flies Reproduce?
WouterFruit flies reproduce at a fast rate. Their eggs hatch in about ten days and are followed by larvae. The larvae will mate with other fruit flies and develop into adult flies in seven days or less. Adult flies are a nuisance throughout the year, but their numbers are usually at their highest in the warm summer months.
The larvae feed on fruit, which causes the fruit to begin to rot internally. This can be seen by cutting the fruit open. The female fly will lay her eggs inside the fruit. The larvae and bacteria will cause the fruit to prematurely fall off the branch. In the meantime, the adult fly will be ready to reproduce again. This rapid reproduction rate is one of the reasons why fruit fly infestations are hard to get rid of.
Fruit flies reproduce quickly, making them a valuable research subject. During their short lifespan, a female fruit fly will lay hundreds of eggs. They will lay their eggs on decaying fruit and other foods. The eggs will hatch into larvae within a few days. In a month, a female fruit fly may lay as many as 500 eggs.
Although fruit flies are not a serious problem for most home owners, they can be quite challenging to eliminate in a restaurant or hospitality environment. A few rotten cucumbers in the bottom of a bin or a bottle of mixer syrup under the refrigerator could easily produce hundreds of fruit flies.
