What is the difference between Gnats and Fruit Flies?

Gnats and fruit flies are small files that are regarded as pests, and they both belong to the Diptera insect order; however, they are from different families. Gnats are a tiny insect that is black in color. The Female Gnats lay about 200 eggs in soils, of which 90% are female. They have a short life span. Gnats can bite. They are found in damp places such as meadows, swamps, forests, or above large water bodies; this allows them to absorb the carbon dioxide.

They always move together in a large flock. Fruit flies are a beige or brown-orange color with black tails; they are exactly one-eighth of an inch long. They are mostly found with ripening fruits where they lay their eggs and feed. The fruit flies lay about 400 eggs and live for about 30 days but can live up to 3 months under the right condition.

Fruit flies are the tiny flying pests that congregate around ripening fruit. Most of these fruit flies are nuisances of agriculture. Drosophila fruit flies are well-known for their great importance. In researching the essentials and some complex theories of genetics. Fruit flies usually have a brownish head and thorax, typically vivid red eyes. They have distinct black color patterning on wings and a dark color tail.

The typical size of fruit flies varies around 2-4 millimeters from top to the tip of the abdomen. They also possess long unruly legs. Gnats are the small flying insects; there is a common gnat species which is 1-2 millimeters long, and it is usually black. Their abdomen is pointed like an arrow. They also have long wings compared to their body size. They can jump and fly swiftly. Water is its surface habitat. These minuscule creatures fly in groups. They call it ‘ghost.’

Gnats and fruit flies look very similar, but when you critically check their appearance, you will notice some differences. Gnats are small insects and can appear as yellow, brown, black in color. In contrast, fruit flies are typically brown-black or brown-yellow insects with red eyes. Gnats are a little bit smaller than fruit flies since they are usually around 1/16 in length, whereas fruit flies are approximately 1/8 in length. When you check their antennae, gnats’ antennae are longer than that of fruit flies.

Although both insects belong to the same order i.e., Diptera, gnats, and fruit flies belong to different families. For fruit flies, there are some that belong to the Tephritidae family, while others belong to the Drosophila family. In contrast, gnats belong to the suborder Nematocera and are found in the families of Sciaridae, Anisopodidae. Unlike fruit flies that are found almost everywhere, gnats are commonly found in swamps, flowerpots, forests, etc.