Fruit Fly Lab Report

Instructions: In this virtual lab activity, you will investigate the preferences of fruit flies and compare
their tactic responses to different environmental stimuli. After which, you will perform chi-square
hypothesis testing to compare your data on fruit fly behavior. Submit your lab report to your instructor
when completed.

Title:

Fruit Fly Lab Report

Objective(s):

Investigate the preferences of fruit flies and compare their tactic responses to different environmental
stimuli.

Introduction–Fly Behavior in a Choice Chamber

In this laboratory activity, you will observe the behavior of fruit flies in a choice chamber. Review a
similar experiment scenario below and answer the pre-lab reflection questions.

A student constructed a choice chamber by cutting off the bottoms of two plastic bottles (of the same
size) and using clear plastic tape to tape the bottoms of the bottles together. She labeled one side A and
one side B. She tapped 20 fruit flies into the choice chamber by placing a cap on one end and a funnel on
the other end of the chamber. She tapped the flies into the chamber from a culture vial. After transfer, she
replaced the cap and funnel with cotton balls. She placed five drops of distilled water on each of the two
cotton balls and laid the chamber on a white piece of paper. After five minutes of undisturbed time, she
counted the number of flies at each end of the choice chamber. The data she collected is below:

Side A Side B
5 minutes 11 flies 8 flies
10 minutes 9 flies 12 flies

Introduction–Fly Behavior Reflection Questions

1. Was there an overall orientation movement after 10 minutes? Explain the reason.

Based on the data, there appears to be no overall orientation movement after 10 minutes. This is
likely due to the fact that both ends of the bottle had been subjected to very similar stimuli.

2. Describe the importance of using distilled water at both ends of the chamber?

It is important to use distilled water because that ensures that there will not be trace chemicals or
compounds that could possibly affect the results of the experiments.

3. Explain why the choice chamber was placed on the white piece of paper.
 The choice chamber was placed on a white piece of paper because fruit flies might be stimulated
by different colors. In order to get valid results, it is important to control all variables that might
affect the results of the experiment.

Identify two kinds of stimuli that could alter the results within the choice chamber.

Two kinds of stimuli that could alter the results within the choice chamber might include using
distilled water on one end and tap water on the other and or adding different amounts of water to
the cotton balls at each end.

Hypothesis:

Create a hypothesis based on the investigative question you selected in the fruit fly virtual lab. Be sure to
use an if/then statement format for your hypothesis.

If fruit flies of different sex are exposed to similar stimuli, then they will respond similarly.

Procedure:

Access the virtual lab and complete the procedures provided for your selected investigative question.
Provide a brief summary of the steps you followed during the experimental procedure.

Materials:

Fruit Fly Virtual Lab

Summary of Steps:

Trial 1
1. Select the paper to wrap white paper around side A and black paper around side B of the T-
maze device.
2. Select the paper to wrap white paper around side A and black paper around side B of the
T-maze device.
3. Release the flies into the T-maze device.
4. Select the timer to observe male and female fruit fly behavior after 15 seconds and then
an additional 30 seconds.

5. Count the number of male and female flies in each side of the T-maze device and record
this data .

Trial 2
1. Place the heat lamp at A side of T-maze Device and do nothing at side B end.
2. Release the flies into the T-maze device.
3. Select the timer to observe fruit fly behavior after 15 seconds and after 30 seconds.
4. Count the number of male and female flies in each side of the T-maze device and record
this data .

Trial 3-5
1. Place a few drops of distilled water on a cotton ball at side A and place a few drops of vinegar
on a cotton ball at side B of the T-maze device.
2. Release the flies into the T-maze device.
3. Select the timer to observe fruit fly behavior after 15 seconds and then an additional 15
seconds
4. Count the number of male and female flies in each side of the T-maze device and record
this data.

Variables:

List your controlled variables, independent variable, and dependent variable for each trial of the
investigation. Hint: For this experiment, the controlled and dependent variables are the same in each trial,
but the type of independent variable is changes.

Remember, controlled variables are factors that remain the same throughout the experiment. An
independent (test) variable changes so that the experimenter can see the effect on other variables. The
dependent (outcome) variable will change in response to the test variable.

Trial 1:

Controlled variables: The type of insect, the length of time the experiment was run, the total
number of fruit flies.

Dependent variable: The number of female and male fruit flies at each end.

Independent variable: T-maze paper color.

Trial 2:

Controlled variables: The type of fruit fly, the length of time the experiment was run, the total
number of fruit flies.

Dependent variable: The number of female and male fruit flies at each end.

Independent variable: Substance on the cotton balls. Vinegar/distilled water.

Trials 3-5:
 Controlled variables: The type of fruit fly, the length of time the experiment was run, the total
number of fruit flies.

Dependent variable: The number of female and male fruit flies at each end.

Independent variable: T-maze paper color and the substance on the cotton balls.

Data:

Create a data table to match the investigative question you selected for this virtual lab.

Trial 1:

Side A Side B
15 seconds 7 female/ 8 male 2 female/1 male
30 seconds 9 female/9 male 0 female/0 male

Trial 2

Side A Side B
15 seconds 8 female/ 12 male 4 female/6 male
30 seconds 12 female/18 male 0 female/0 male

Trial 3

Side A Side B
15 seconds 2 female/ 9 male 13 female/6 male
30 seconds 1 female/1 male 14 female/14 male

Trial 4

Side A Side B
15 seconds 2 female/ 8 male 11 female/8 male
30 seconds 1 female/3 male 13 female/11 male

Trial 5

Side A Side B
15 seconds 0 female/ 10 male 13 female/5male
30 seconds 0 female/0male 13 female/15 male
Conclusion:

Write a conclusion statement that addresses the following questions:

 Describe the responses of your fruit flies to your experimental stimuli.

 What taxis were exhibited by the fruit flies during your experiment?
 Does your data support or fail to support your hypothesis (include examples)?
 If this lab was completed in a laboratory, instead of virtually, what possible sources of error could
have impacted the behavior of the fruit flies?

Fruit flies respond to environmental stimuli in different ways. The response can take the form of
movement towards or away from the stimulus. For example, chemotaxis is the movement of
organisms in response to chemicals. Another type of taxis is phototaxis, which is the movement
of organisms in response to light. In trial 2, fruit flies showed positive phototaxis because they
were mostly found in the lit end of the device. In trials 3-5, the fruit flies exhibited positive
chemotaxis towards the vinegar-soaked cotton balls. Based on the data, the sex of the fruit flies
seemed to have no significant effect on the behavior of the flies. This fact supports the
hypothesis of this experiment.
A possible source of error could be the improper setup of the experiment. For example, if the
experiment was run in a real laboratory, the sex of the fruit flies could be incorrectly determined.

Lab Reflection Questions

Answer the reflection questions, using what you have learned from the lesson and your experimental data.
It will be helpful to review chi-square hypothesis testing in the statistical tests and data analysis
section of your AP Science Practice Skills Tutorial. Answer questions in complete sentences.

1. Make a claim explaining why the fruit flies behaved as they did in your experiment. Justify your
claim by providing evidence and reasoning to support your claim.
2. Explain how the behavior of fruit flies contributes to their overall fitness and reproductive
success.

Organisms move in response to many different stimuli, either negatively by moving away from
the stimuli, or positively by moving toward it. The fruit flies showed positive phototaxis by
moving toward the illuminated end of the device. This behavior might have been selected by
 nature and provided this species with evolutionary advantages. For example, the light source
helps the flies recognize other members of their species and locate sources of food.
Fruit flies exhibited positive chemotaxis towards the vinegar-soaked cotton balls. Fruit flies feed
on rotting fruit, which emit acetic acid or vinegar as a byproduct.

3. Chi-square hypothesis testing attempts to support the null hypothesis, which means it’s
analyzing experimental results to make sure they wouldn’t just happen by chance. Not happening
by chance would support an alternative hypothesis, as you have made in this lab activity. Your
hypothesis states that another variable is responsible for the behavior of the fruit flies. Perform
chi-square hypothesis testing to prove it.
a) Calculate the chi-square value of the data collected in trials 3, 4, and 5 at the 30-second
mark of your fruit fly experiment. For the third investigative question, find the chi-square
values for the males and females. Assume the expected value for each investigative
question is the following:
The chi-square value of the females is 31. The chi-square value of the males is 29.

Investigative question 1 Investigative question 2 Investigative question 3

Trials The expected flies on The expected flies on The expected male or
3-5: one side of a T device one side of a T device female flies on one side
should be 15. should be 15. of a T device should be
8.

b) Determine the degree of freedom in your data.

5 degrees of freedom
c) Identify p-value of your data using the chi-square distribution table below.
11.07

p-value Degrees of Freedom

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
0.05 3.84 5.99 7.82 9.49 11.07 12.59 14.07 15.51
0.01 6.64 9.21 11.34 13.28 15.09 16.81 18.48 20.09

d) Draw a conclusion about the alternative hypothesis based on the comparison of the chi-
square value to the p-value.
Because the chi-square value is higher than p-value, we can reject the null
hypothesis in support of the alternative hypothesis