Fruit flies are annoying little pests that keep busy by buzzing around your decaying fruits and vegetables, feeding on them, and making their homes (and eggs!) there. They can be challenging to get rid of, though now and then, you’ll have the satisfaction of successfully swatting one.
When you get one, they are red color. Is that blood?
Do fruit flies have blood? Yes, they have a substance known as hemolymph, which is sorta like blood. But it’s different.
Here’s what we know about insect “blood”:
- Fruit flies and insects don’t have blood in the same way that humans and mammals do
- Insects have hemolymph, a clear liquid that usually appears yellow or green
- Hemolymph is not circulated through blood vessels but rather through all of the tissue in the bug’s body
You’ll notice that they leave behind a red smear when you do kill one. You may have wondered if this is blood, and the answer might surprise you! In this article, we’ll discuss what this red substance is.
Read on for an explainer.
Do Fruit Flies Have Blood?
Fruit flies do, indeed, have a blood-like substance, though this substance is vastly different from what we consider blood in other animals, like our fellow mammals. It serves a similar purpose but has a different appearance and is distributed through the insect’s body differently.
The ‘blood’ found in most insects is generally a clear liquid known as hemolymph, which can sometimes have a yellow or green tint.
The ‘blood’ found in most insects is generally a clear liquid known as hemolymph, which can sometimes have a yellow or green tint.
Hemolymph circulates through the insect’s body via an open circulatory system.
The blood is moved throughout the insect’s tissues rather than through a series of blood vessels. So, when you swat an annoying fruit fly, all of its hemolymph is released, leaving a red stain that looks like blood.
What Are Fruit Flies Drawn To?
Fruit flies didn’t get their name for nothing! They are primarily drawn to fermenting fruits and vegetables, but they can also be attracted by compost bins, garbage disposals, drains, trash bags, pet foods, and mops.
They are drawn to moist environments and food waste, though they only feed on food surfaces. So, your chances of accidentally ingesting one of these bugs are nearly zero if you’re observant enough. Their eggs are a different story, though.
Where Do They Lay Eggs?
Vegetables and fruits are the most common places for adult fruit flies to lay their eggs. To do so, the food needs to be rotting or overripe, as they won’t try to burrow into food that is not already rotting.
Once the conditions are favorable, adult fruit flies will breach the outer area of the vegetable or fruit and deposit their eggs within. However, overripe foods are not the only places where fruit flies will lay eggs.
Be on the lookout for small buildups of sludge, which fruit flies might utilize for laying their eggs. This kind of sludge usually manifests as a goopy mass of liquid and debris that collects inside garbage disposals, at the bottom of trash cans, in the seams of appliances, and inside plumbing.
Even the smallest volume of sludge can host a few eggs.
Be on the lookout for small buildups of sludge, which fruit flies might utilize for laying their eggs.
Do Fruit Flies Die in Winter?
Unfortunately, winter weather will not cull fruit fly populations. After all, in many parts of the world, winter can be quite warm, including inside homes! But cold temperatures will halt the development of new fruit fly generations.
Around the 60°F mark, fruit fly lifespan decreases. When the temperatures dip below 54°F, the flies cease development altogether. That being said, adult fruit flies can ‘overwinter’ when the conditions become too extreme.
Overwintering allows them to live through freezing temperatures, and they can begin repopulating when favorable weather conditions return. It isn’t very pleasant, so you’ll want to try to get rid of them as thoroughly as possible to prevent this from happening.
Conclusion
Fruit flies have their own blood-like substance known as hemolymph, and this can be a reddish-brown color if you manage to swat a fruit fly. It’s not the same as human blood, but it is comparable.
If you’re careful managing your fruit fly infestation, you can get rid of them so you won’t need to worry about swatting them anymore!
