Drosophila is the scientific name for a group of tiny flies. Many people call them “fruit flies”. People often find fruit flies in the kitchen. Caddis flies are insects that fly around ponds and streams.
The best-known member of the genus Drosophila is D. melanogaster (Meigen). Adults are usually about 1/8″ long. The color is usually a shade of brown and can range from yellowish-tan to brown. The abdomen is often gray or black. Many of these flies have very distinctive red eyes.
Most flies in the genus Drosophila are attracted to fermenting fruits or vegetables. They are also attracted to vinegar and beer. The adult flies deposit their eggs in the fermenting fruit. When the eggs hatch, the larvae feed in the fruit as they develop.
Fruit flies are very tiny insects. Many of them can fly through standard screens to get into a home. They often hover over their breeding site by flying in small circles.
Caddis flies are actually not members of the fly family. They are members of the insect order Trichoptera. They have four wings (flies only have two wings). The caddis fly wings are usually covered with tiny hairs. When caddis flies rest, they fold their wings over their body like a small tent.
Caddis flies come in many sizes. There are more than 900 species in North America. Many of them are brown in color. They are widely distributed across the United States.
Caddis flies are also known as sedge flies. They usually stay around lakes, ponds, and streams. They deposit their eggs in the water. The caddis fly larvae live in the water and breathe with gills. After they mature, the caddis flies come out of the water to find mates and to lay eggs.
Both Drosophila and Caddis flies are attracted to light. The caddis flies do not infest homes, but they can be nuisances around porch lights. The tiny fruit fly will readily enter a home to find a place to lay its eggs.