Animal India - Diarrhegma - Fruit Flies

A Diarrhegma modestum, a species of tephritid or fruit fly, is seen perched on a weed leaf in the forest at Tehatta, West Bengal, India, on October 23, 2024. This species, known as a notorious insect pest of vegetables and fruits, is found across South and Southeast Asia, including India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and the Philippines. During courtship, males offer a nuptial feeding gift by secreting a foamy substance onto a leaf, which attracts the female. After the female begins to feed on the gift, the male proceeds to copulate. This species was once mistakenly identified as Trypetta incisa in India due to a labeling error. (Photo by Soumyabrata Roy/NurPhoto via Getty Images)