Bluebottle and Blowfly (Calliphora vicini; Calliphora vomitoria)
Adults 11mm long; wingspan 25mm; bristly body, dull metallic blue; stiff bluish transparent wings; very large compound eyes.
Life-Cycle
Bluebottle adult flies mate and egg laying commences 4 days later. Eggs are laid in clusters in fresh or older meat and meat products and offal.
Larvae moult 3 times and wander off to pupate anywhere up to 100 metres away.
Larvae grow to 18mm and the pupae is approximately 10mm and a dull mahogany brown.
The Bluebottle, Blowfly emerges 2 weeks later.
Significance
Bluebottles consume dead and rotting flesh, so are attracted to any meat product especially game and bacon.
As a result they are found in quantity around meat processing plants, commercial canteens and any food processing factory.