Can Fruit Flies Bite People?

The common fruit fly species in the genus Drosophila, include the common fruit fly that most people find around ripe fruit in their kitchens. These species, including Drosophila melanogaster, are typically called fruit flies, but with the emergence of agricultural pest fruit flies, the fruit fly found in homes is more typically called vinegar flies since they are attracted to the vinegar by product of fermenting fruit. When fruit becomes too ripe, fruit or vinegar flies will not be attracted due to fungal growth on the fruit.

Since fruit or vinegar flies prefer fermenting fruit and food particles in mop water or even on wet mops, these flies do not feed on blood and they do not have biting mouthparts. So, these flies do not bite people even though infestations may total thousands. Fruit flies have a short lifespan, with mating occurring about two days after emergence from the pupal stage and a typical lifespan rarely exceeding ten days as an adult.

There are other small flies which might appear to be fruit or vinegar flies which do bite. The “gnats” found in wet areas outside can bite, but these are not fruit or vinegar flies. Other small flies can bite and filth flies such as stable flies are larger and readily bite people.