Tiny fly ID

sebastianbawn · #1 (**permalink**) 26-09-2009, 06:23 PM

I opened the lid to the compost bin and around 50 of these tiny (2-3mm) critters flew out at me. Hope the red eyes are significant?

aeshna5 · #2 (**permalink**) 26-09-2009, 06:35 PM

Fruit Flies, Drosophila sp.

sebastianbawn · #3 (**permalink**) 26-09-2009, 06:48 PM

Thanks Aeshna. Is there any way on determining species? I have a few other pics but if its a microscope job I wont bother to look lol!

Jason Green · #4 (**permalink**) 26-09-2009, 09:45 PM

Evening Seb

Janet (JRsbugs) ID'd a similar one as Drosophila melanogaster. Note the dark markings on the abdomen, heaviest at the tip.

Take care,

Jason

sebastianbawn · #5 (**permalink**) 26-09-2009, 09:58 PM

Hi Jason

I have googled and it seems the closest match. Thanks

JRsbugs · #6 (**permalink**) 26-09-2009, 10:23 PM

I'm not sure if you have only one species there, the first one looks a little different but it's difficult to tell without closer pics, and they are quite small so not easy to get.

I agree the second one looks like Drosophila melanogaster.

I had one inside in May which was smaller than D. melanogaster (which is about 3mm I think) and looks similar to your first one, I think about 2mm long. The closest I found was Drosophila immigrans but I'm not overly certain that is correct. Yours might be a male and female!

I see someone from the US has put a D. immigrans on diptera.info, not sure if that is correct either but a google brings up some on bugguide.net which do look like mine. The pic I found which resembled mine I found originally was on a (what I think to be) reputable French site.

I'll upload my D. immigrans pics.

Janet

sebastianbawn · #7 (**permalink**) 26-09-2009, 10:27 PM

Thanks Janet. I am unsure how these guys live but all were in the same small space together ( about 50 ) , but Im guessing you are going to tell me that different species hang around together?

JRsbugs · #8 (**permalink**) 26-09-2009, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sebastianbawn

Thanks Janet. I am unsure how these guys live but all were in the same small space together ( about 50 ) , but Im guessing you are going to tell me that different species hang around together?

What fly doesn't hang out with other flies, lol, both being fruit flies they will likely be after the same type of habitat so it wouldn't be unusual to get more than one species together.