These stripes actually appear as black rings. Differences in patterns of color are what many researchers use to determine the difference between male and female fruit flies. [4] X Research source For both genders, their eyes are large and red. They have five eyes and antennae.

You may have to kill or freeze the fly to keep it still. Use a magnifying glass. Try placing the fly on white paper to make it easier to see its features.

When one fly is still while the other hops around like it is dancing, this may be a mating ritual. The male is the one moving.

Their mouths are shaped for sucking up liquids, making rotten fruit the perfect nest. You may find more females around such fruit since they are the ones interested in laying eggs.