Calliphoridae

Pollenia rudis (Calliphoridae)
Richard Bartz, Munich - Wikimedia Commons

Lucilia cuprina
Giancarlodessi 2009, Wikimedia Commons

Blowfly Head Close Up
Martin Pot, Wikimedia Commons

• The Calliphoridae family are facultative parasites

• Cause blowfly strike

• If the fly lays eggs on an animal, the animal is said to be blown

• The damage the larvae cause to the animal is known as strike

• Worldwide distribution

• Affects sheep mostly
  • Rabbits can also be affected

Species of veterinary importance in Europe

• Lucilia sericata; Greenbottle

• Phormia terra-novae; Blackbottle

• Calliphora erythrocephala; Bluebottle

• Calliphora vomitoria; Bluebottle

Species of veterinary importance in the Tropics

• Lucilia cuprina; South Africa and Australia

• Chrysomya spp.; Africa, Asia and Australia

• Wohlfahrtia; Fleshfly

Recognition of Adults

• Medium sized flies under 10mm long

• Metallic sheen to abdomen
  • Colour depends on species

• Clear wings

Recognition of Larvae

• Smooth maggots

• 10-15mm long

• Spiracles and stigmatic plates on the tail can be used for species differentiation

Life cycle

• Eggs laid in wounds, soiled fleece and on carrion
  • Females attracted by the odour emitted
  • Clusters of yellow-cream eggs laid

• Larvae hatch 24 hours later and crawl down onto the skin
  • Feed rapidly
  • Grow rapidly
  • Moult twice before becoming full maggots
  • Process takes 1-2 weeks

• Larvae fall to the ground to pupate

• Adult emerges in under 1 week (during summer)

• The female reaches sexual maturity after a protein meal
  • Lays eggs in batches of 100-200

• Adult flies survive for 1 month

• Four generations can develop between May and September
  • In warmer climates, up to 9 or 10 generations can develop per year

• Flies can survive the winter as pupae and emerge the next spring