Dancing and Fighting: The Secret Social Life of Drosophila
Discover the secret life of an extraordinary insect: the fruit fly Drosophila prolongata. Despite its tiny size, this remarkable fly is known for its elaborate courtship dances, exceptionally long forelegs, and fierce territorial battles.
Fruit flies are small but remarkably diverse insects with complex social behaviour. Using the long-legged fruit fly Drosophila prolongata, we are investigating how courtship and aggression, on the one hand, and unusual traits and interactions with microbes and pathogens, on the other, shape the behaviour and evolution of this species.
Visitors will have the opportunity to observe live flies and learn about their fascinating behaviour, natural history, and the research being carried out on them at the University of Zurich.
Young visitors can put their knowledge to the test by reconstructing the fruit fly’s life cycle in the correct order.
You can also explore a selection of insect specimens under the microscope, revealing the incredible diversity and beauty of the insect world.
A male Drosophila prolongata performs the species’ characteristic courtship “dance” in front of a choosy female. This time, the performance pays off: the female accepts him, and mating follows (Video: Jhoniel Perdigón Ferreira).
