Drosophila melanogaster is one of the most valuable organisms in biological research, particularly in the areas of genetics and developmental biology. Drosophila has been used as a model organism in research for almost a century. The organism is easy to breed and has a short life cycle, making it ideal for the study of genetic mutations. The importance to human health and development lies in the homology of Drosophila genes to those in man, e.g., the homeobox gene complex.