# Hopping D. Melanogaster



## Precious (Aug 30, 2007)

Anyone ever have fruit flies that "hop"? They have wings, can't fly but hop very well and are a pain. I think they might be in a step of their evolution before they are able to actually fly. I have three cultures I'm waiting on but I think I may need some new stock. I have had cultures start flying within three generations, but this jumping is new. They're like fleas. Any experience?


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## asdsdf (Aug 30, 2007)

Hi, they are the ones you got from mantisfu right? Mine hop too. The ones with wings are known to hop, but they can't actually fly. I also have flying ones, and they are a pain in the arse.


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## OGIGA (Aug 30, 2007)

How well do they hop? Like fleas??


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## Precious (Aug 30, 2007)

They hop just like fleas. When you try to nab them, they jump (pretty high) just in time. Royal pain for me but the mantids catch them.


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## Sparky (Aug 30, 2007)

My flies do that too. They aren't that hard to catch. I just pick them up with my fingers.


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## OGIGA (Aug 31, 2007)

That's interesting. My d. melanogasters don't jump like that, but they are pretty annoying already.


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## Precious (Aug 31, 2007)

I think it's interesting. It's amazing how you can visualize evolution in these flies. Generations come and go in a few days and they change. Really cool. I'm Catholic, so I believe that God made us but that is not in contradiction with evolution. It's weird to me that some people reject evolution entirely, when you can watch it with your own eyes.


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## darkspeed (Oct 23, 2007)

What you are saying is right on track... Most flys hop rather well, and use their hopping ability to launch themselves into the air before actually using their wings. I found this out by snipping the wings off of a housefly to make it easier to catch. Turns out even without their wings they are still pretty elusive due to the whole hopping thing. h34r:


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## OGIGA (Oct 24, 2007)

I have a cruel habit of pulling wings off of flies if I catch them. Instead of a good jump, I often find the de-winged fly jumping rather clumsily. This is especially true with the bluebottle flies (because they're so much fatter).


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## Andrew (Oct 24, 2007)

Mine hop too. But I don't really care if some escape, so its no big deal. My mantids catch 'em fine.


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