https://phys.org/news/2019-01-gut-bacteria-key-amino-acids.html > They found that flies lacking gut bacteria landed and started feeding faster, spent longer feeding, and consumed more droplets of food than flies that still possessed a normal gut microbiome. Flies with a functioning microbiome chose to feed on larger droplets, regardless of their nutritional composition, whereas flies that had been fed antibiotics were constrained to feeding on droplets containing essential amino acids like arginine and leucine. Oriental fruit flies are highly invasive pests of crops across Asia, capable of attacking over 350 plant species. Understanding how gut bacteria influence the insects' feeding behaviour could help scientists develop improved strategies to control or eradicate them. > The authors add: "Foraging for food is a costly and potentially dangerous activity. Oriental fruit flies that lack nutritionally important bacteria are compelled to invest more time foraging for essential nutrients." Explore further: Gut bacteria tell the brain what animals should eat