Fruit flies' surprising affinity for carousels revealed in study
Fruit flies, known for their love of fruit, have another surprising interest: riding on a carousel. Research by scientists in the fields of neurobiology and genetics unveils a new facet of these insects.
Fruit flies, or Drosophila melanogaster, are commonly known for being attracted to fruit, but the latest research suggests that they could just as quickly be called carousel flies. The study, published in "Current Biology" by Dr. Wolf Hütteroth, Dr. Tilman Triphan, and Dr. Clara Ferreira, shows that one in four fruit flies happily spends time on a carousel.
As reported by "Bild," the scientists conducted an experiment resembling a flea circus. Two groups of 95 flies were placed in arenas, each about 10 cm in diameter. Each arena provided food, space to fly, and a mini-carousel with a diameter of 5 cm. The difference was that one carousel would spin, while the other would remain still.
The findings were unexpected. Dr. Wolf Hütteroth observed that about a quarter of the insects spent more time on the spinning carousel than those in the control group on the stationary platform. Additionally, some flies even chose to sacrifice part of their eating time to engage with the carousel.
Why do flies choose carousels?
It is still unclear why fruit flies display this behaviour. One possibility is that it provides evolutionary advantages associated with play. Dr. Hütteroth points out that passive, voluntary movement—such as that experienced on a carousel, swing, or slide—is a common element of playgrounds and is generally perceived as enjoyable. Insects may use these movements to refine their body awareness.
This discovery sheds new light on the behaviour of fruit flies, showing that their lives are not limited to food-seeking and reproduction alone. This may also serve as a clue for further research on animal behaviours and their evolutionary benefits.
