Fly (Green Bottle)(Lucilia sericata)
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Calliphoridae
Genus: Lucilia
Species: L. sericata
Binomial name: Lucilia sericata
Common name: Common Green Bottle,
The common green bottle fly (Lucilia sericata) is a common blow-fly found in most areas of the world, and the most well-known of the numerous green bottle fly species. It is 10–14 mm long, slightly larger than a housefly, and has brilliant, metallic, blue-green or golden coloration with black markings. It has black bristle-like hair and three cross-grooves on the thorax. The wings are clear with light brown veins, and the legs and antennae are black. The maggots (larvae) of the fly are used for maggot therapy.
This insect is also typical to most fly species by having three instar stages, a pre-pupa stage, and a pupa stage.
L. sericata is common all over the world, mainly the southern hemisphere. It is coastal in its distribution and prefers warm and moist climates. The female will lay her eggs in meat, fish, animal corpses, infected wounds of humans or animals, and excrement. The larvae of this insect feed on most decomposing tissue, but seem to concentrate on the Ovis genus (Sheep) which cause many problems for sheep farmers with fly strike.
Flystrike:
Flystrike can be a major Summer problem in sheep, especially lambs, particularly following a period of warm wet weather. Four species of flies are involved in NZ as causes of this disease, Lucilia sericata is one of them.. They lay eggs or live larvae (maggots) in the wool close to the skin mainly along the back, rump, breech and tail of the sheep. The eggs hatch to maggots 12 to 24 hours later and the maggots eat through the skin and feed on the underlying tissues for 4 to 6 days. This causes irritation to the sheep, they loose condition and may die due to fluid loss or infection via the wound. The flies are particularly attracted to damp wool, especially if it has been soiled with blood, urine or faeces; or by secretions from foot or pizzle rot. Initial signs are irritation and restlessness, followed by the wool in the struck areas becoming discoloured. This wool falls off and exposes raw tissue underneath; at this stage the sheep is obviously off colour. Without treatment, the sheep will die.
Previous page: Garden Soldier Fly (Exaireta spinigera)
Next page: Fly (Greenhead)(Tabamus sp)