The small vinegar flies of the family Drosophilidae, commonly called fruit flies, have been exceptionally useful in scientific
research. Their short reproductive cycle (a new generation of adults develops in only two weeks) and uncomplicated genetics
make them ideal subjects for studies of heredity. This fly lays its eggs in rotting fruit and therefore does not need the stiff, sharp
ovipositor that other fruit flies use to drill into fruits and stems. An abundance of banana mush in the laboratory is a good
indication that fruit fly experimentation may be in progress.
