The common European greenbottle fly is a metallic green fly found across the United States. Its larvae feed on decaying animal matter and help forensic investigators estimate how long a body has been exposed. It is also called the sheep blow fly.
Appearance
Appearance
Adults are about 0.3–0.4 in (8–10 mm) long, with a metallic green to copper-green body and yellowish mouthparts.
Color alone is not reliable. A clear close-up of bristles and structures around the wing base is usually needed, and many casual photos cannot be identified beyond the genus Lucilia.
Why they get mixed up · Both are common North American metallic green blow flies.
The useful differences involve small bristles and wing-base structures that are rarely visible in an ordinary photo. Treat a distant image as uncertain.
Why they get mixed up · The size, shape, and green shine overlap strongly.
The two are nearly indistinguishable to the naked eye. Specialists compare tiny bristles behind the head and the width of the frontal stripe under magnification.
Why they get mixed up · It is the closest and most difficult look-alike.
Where it lives
Typical habitats
towns and suburbs
garbage areas
animal carcasses
Range
It is widespread across the United States and Canada and occurs through much of the Northern Hemisphere.
Preferred conditions
Adults are often found around dead animals, feces, and garbage.
Behavior
Diet
Adults visit decaying animal matter, and larvae feed on it.
Activity
Adults are active by day, while larvae stay in moist food material until they are ready to .
Life cycle
Reproduction
Females place clusters of eggs on suitable decaying animal material.
Larva
Larvae pass through three growth stages, leave the food source, and burrow into soil to pupate.
Connected species
Ties with other wildlife
The larvae consume dead animals and contribute to decomposition.
Conservation
IUCN Red List
NENot Evaluated·Not yet assessed
Threats
Larvae can occasionally infest wounds in people or livestock, so wild larvae should never be used for medical purposes.
Culture and stories
Culture and stories
In , larval development can help estimate the minimum time since death.
Sterile, laboratory-reared larvae are used in some medical wound-care settings; this is controlled treatment, not a home remedy.