Australian Sheep Blowfly
Lucilia cuprina
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Type | Invertebrate |
| Group | |
| Other Common Names | Primary Green Blowfly |
| Biology | Adult blowflies are attracted to meat or living flesh where they lay maggots rather than eggs. Their full life cycle can be completed in as few as 7 days. Maggots laid in late autumn do not pupate until the following spring. There is a high death rate among overwintering maggots so blowflies need to breed up each spring and summer from a small surviving population. |
| Distinctive Markings | Shiny green body. |
| Taxonomy | |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Arthropoda |
| Class | Insecta |
| Order | Diptera |
| Family | Calliphoridae |
| Genus | Lucilia |
| Species | cuprina |
If blowfly maggots feed on living flesh near open wounds, they can cause fly-strike, a major problem for sheep farmers in Australia.
| Interesting Facts | |
|---|---|
| Diet | Carnivore and carrion feeder. The larvae mainly feed on decaying animal tissue but can feed on living flesh near open wounds. |
| Habitat | Found in urban areas, semi-arid environments, forest, heath, grasslands, forests, wetlands, woodlands and gardens. |
| Native Status | Native to Australia |