Wine - What is Vinegar Fly and what causes it?!

Question: The Vinegar Fly (family Drosophilidae) is a small, yellowish fly with distinct red eyes and is commonly seen around rotting fruit. However, it is even more commonly found in genetics laboratories around the world. This is probably the most studied of all animals (besides humans) and has contributed greatly to our understanding of genetics. Its short life cycle of only a couple of weeks makes it ideal for genetic research.

The larvae feed on the bacteria and yeast found in rotting fruit and can cause great problems for wineries and fruit-juice producers. The Vinegar Fly is not actually a fruit fly as it does not feed on fruit directly, just the yeasts associated with rotting fruit. The name 'fruit fly' is more correctly applied to flies in the family Tephritidae.

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Answers: The Vinegar Fly (family Drosophilidae) is a small, yellowish fly with distinct red eyes and is commonly seen around rotting fruit. However, it is even more commonly found in genetics laboratories around the world. This is probably the most studied of all animals (besides humans) and has contributed greatly to our understanding of genetics. Its short life cycle of only a couple of weeks makes it ideal for genetic research.

The larvae feed on the bacteria and yeast found in rotting fruit and can cause great problems for wineries and fruit-juice producers. The Vinegar Fly is not actually a fruit fly as it does not feed on fruit directly, just the yeasts associated with rotting fruit. The name 'fruit fly' is more correctly applied to flies in the family Tephritidae.

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http://www.britannica.com/eb/topic-62945...

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Vinegar fly is a small fly that spoils wine,It tastes like vinegar.

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This is an insect, I think. Like a fruit fly, attracted to rotten old fruit. I've not heard of a connection to wine.

Edit: Oops, I've just seen the answers above, from better-informed folk!

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A vinegar fly is a real small fly that is attracted to wine. Red white or whatever. It only takes one fly to get to the wine and it turns the wine so that it is just like vinegar. If you look at a demi john with wine in it you will see a stopper at the top with a glass/plastic tube with a bend going through it. The bend is full of water, this stops the fly from getting to the wine.

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they are common in places where there is food, especially rotting food such as resturants.
this might help:
http://www.the-piedpiper.co.uk/th6h.htm
(i hope we're thinking of the same thing)

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