Common Green Bottle Fly (Blow/Bottle Flies)

Order/family: Diptera/Calliphoridae

Scientific Name: Phormia regina, Black  Blow Fly, Phoenicia sericata, Green Bottle Fly, Calliphora spp., Blue Bottle Flies

Description: Several species of blow flies can infest structures. As a group, they are easily identified by the metallic sheen of their stout bodies. They range in size from 1/4” for the black blow fly to more than 1`/2” for the blue bottle flies. They are very active and often can be seen buzzing around windows. Black blow flies have a bluish-green luster; green bottle flies are metallic blue-green; and blue bottle flies have a metallic blue quality. These flies have sponging mouthparts and one pair of wings. The mature cream-colored larvae (maggots) are 3/7” to 7/8” long, legless, eyeless, and taper from the larger round rear segment that has large spiracles on the posterior plate to the pointed head which consists of a pair of mouth hooks.