blowfly

Blowfly is a common name for flies in the family Calliphoridae (order Diptera). They are medium to large flies, often with metallic sheen—blue, green, or coppery bodies. Prominent examples include the blue bottle fly (Calliphora spp.), the green bottle fly (Lucilia spp.), and the black blow fly (Phormia spp.). Adults are robust flyers, typically 8–14 mm long, with strong odor cues that guide them to animal carcasses or wounds.

Reproduction and life cycle: Females lay eggs in carrion, wounds, or soiled materials. Eggs hatch into maggots within 24–48 hours in warm conditions. The maggots feed through several instars before dropping to the soil to pupate. Adults emerge after about 7–14 days, depending on temperature. The full life cycle can be completed in as little as a week in warm environments.

Ecology and significance: Blowflies are important decomposers of animal remains and are among the first insects to colonize a corpse, making them valuable in forensic science for estimating postmortem intervals. Some species are pests of livestock or can cause myiasis in animals and, rarely, humans, when eggs or larvae develop in wounds in unhygienic conditions.

Medical and economic uses: Certain blowflies, notably Lucilia sericata, have larvae used in maggot therapy to debride nonhealing wounds. Management of blowflies involves sanitation, proper disposal of carcasses, wound protection, and, in some cases, insecticides or traps.