Fruit Fly (Drosophila melanogaster) Preferences for Different Types of Fruits

 

Tested Studies in Laboratory Teaching, 2012, Volume 33

Luis Guerra & Van Wheat

Abstract

This exercise investigates the fruit fly's preference for certain fruits. The fruit used to start the population of fruit flies can be modified to any fruit the student wishes. I normally recommend pineapple as the fruit to start the population of fruit flies as fruit flies seem to infest acid fruits more than non-acid fruits. All the fruits used in this experiment are available all year round in south Texas. This exercise was designed for majors and non-majors as well as for first-semester general biology students, who have had little experience in lab or in writing a lab report. This exercise prepares students to analyze a complex lab problem, write a formal lab report, interpret data, and make graphs.

Keywords:  fruit fly, feeding behavior, Drosophila melanogaster

New Mexico State University (2011)