Drosophila melanogaster

The name Drosophila melanogaster is fun to say in dramatic style… and I do. At our place we don’t remember this many fruit flies from years past, so I guess in a way this has been a good year, at least for the fruit flies. And not only do they enjoy ripening fruit and vegetables, but alcoholic beverages as well, so it is a good idea to drink your wine or beer rapidly… I like that…or keep them covered. I can’t tell you how many fruit flies have gone done my gullet with a swallow of beer. It could be a catchy name for a local micro brew…Fruit Fly IPA… and it would definitely make a cute label. Do you remember looking at these flies under a microscope in high school genetics and seeing their red eyes? Oh yeah, big red eyes.

A couple notes: One day after I had written this show I thought about the 100 years plus of laboratory research using Drosophila and realized that in a way they are tiny lab rats and we use them like they are nothing really…expendable for research. At least when I swallow them with my beer they are some sort of nutrition. I mean, what if they have beautiful little brains and can do algebra problems. Well, my mind can go to weird places when I’m home alone near the banks of the ol’ guajolote. I like the photo and I found it on line. You can see the black abdomen and the red eyes.