Fruit flies show ‘hangry’ behaviour when deprived of food, study shows

Just like humans, the tiny species becomes aggressive on an empty stomach

Fruit flies react like people to hunger (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

If you’ve ever noticed your partner becoming irritable and aggressive when their stomach is empty, take comfort from knowing they are not alone – fruit flies also become “hangry”.

Scientists at the University of East Anglia (UEA) and Oxford University discovered that male fruit flies, which feed on decaying fruit, grew ever more combative the longer they went without food, for up to 24 hours.

After a day, their aggression reached a plateau.