Perceiving it well from its name — vomit fruit – how smelly the toxic Polynesian fruit can be! It would surely keep away most of the insects and flies from it. Generally, no fly goes near the Tahitian Noni shrub fruit, and even if any manage to land on it dies.
But, the scientists in Japan claim something to it’s contrary. They may have discovered the mystery behind its being favorite to a species of fruit fly. Yes, the D. sechellia not only feeds on it, but also lays eggs on the fruit, thus ensuring a bountiful meal for its young.
The researchers have identified two genes in the Drosophila sechellia fruit fly, which might have made the fruit so appealing to the insect. This discovery can eventually help in the fight against pests, the researchers believe.
The researchers in an article published in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS Biology said,
We can also begin to understand how to manipulate insects’ behavior by changing their preference for particular substances.
It is hoped that such symbiotic relationships will not just help researchers fight against pests, but also help them manipulate sensory preferences of pests — like mosquitoes. As for example, the sensory preference of mosquitoes is human blood and sweat, responsible for spreading disease among them.