Answer:
The fruit fly life cycle can be broken down into four distinct stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.
Step-by-step explanation:
The adult female fruit fly lays her eggs on a suitable substrate, such as rotting fruit. The eggs hatch into larvae, which feed on the substrate for several days before undergoing a series of molts to reach their full size. At this point, the larva will crawl to a dry area and form a protective outer shell, or puparium, within which it will pupate.
During the pupal stage, the fruit fly undergoes a dramatic metamorphosis, transforming from a soft-bodied, crawling larva into a fully formed, winged adult. This process typically takes about four days, after which the adult fruit fly emerges from the puparium. The newly emerged adult fruit fly is initially pale and soft, but it rapidly darkens and hardens as its exoskeleton dries and sclerotizes.
Once the adult fruit fly has fully matured, it is capable of mating and laying eggs, completing the cycle. The entire fruit fly life cycle, from egg to adult, can occur in as little as two weeks under optimal conditions.