The differential exploration of natural resources by Drosophila species has effects on fitness, with changes in life history and metabolic traits. This article showed that life history (viability, development time, and dry weight as a measure of size) and metabolic traits (triglyceride, glycogen, and protein contents) have interpopulational variation in at least one of the four analyzed neotropical species of Drosophila – D. willistoni, D. mercatorum, D. maculifrons, and D. ornatifrons. The results evidenced phenotypic plasticity for life history traits, probably correlated to the species ability to explore habitats. On the other hand, the energy storage capability showed to be species specific, determined by their adaptive history to the quality and availability of resources.