Life Span of Fruit Fly

How Long Do Fruit Flies Live?

image of a fruit fly

The average natural life span of fruit fly adults in optimal temperatures is 40 to 50 days. Female fruit flies are capable of mating and laying several batches of eggs in that time, allowing the fruit fly population in a home to multiply quickly. The life span of the fruit fly is heavily influenced by temperature.

Life Cycle Fruit Fly

The fruit fly's life cycle begins when the female lays her eggs on a piece of fermenting fruit or other decaying, sweet organic material. She can lay up to 500 eggs, making it difficult to control the population. After eggs hatch into small, white larvae, they eat from their nesting site for four days, absorbing the nutrients and energy needed to transform into adults.

Larvae then locate dark, dry places for pupation. During this stage, the legless larvae grow six legs and a pair of wings before emerging as adults. Full pupation takes approximately four days. During this time, the faint outline of the transforming fly is visible through the pupa case. Following pupation, adult fruit flies are ready to mate in about two days.

life cycle of a fruit fly picture Fruit fly life cycle
  • Fruit Fly Eggs
  • Fruit Fly Larvae
  • Fruit Fly Metamorphosis
  • Fruit Fly Reproduction Rate Data
  • Fruit Fly Pupae
  • pest control inspection