Calliphoridae (storage pests)

Diptera (plant parasitic) • Insects (plant pests) • pests-diseases-weeds

Chrysomya megacephala (click on image to enlarge it)
Author(s): Muhammad Mahdi Karim
Source: Wikimedia Commons

Calliphoridae (storage pests) - (blowflies)

The pest species of the family of blowflies are mainly nuisance pests and of medical and vetrinary importance (see below). However some are also storage pests, e.g. of stored meat and other animal products and are treated here.

Blowflies breed in dung, other decaying organic matter and carrion. Most fly larvae found in dung will belong to this family. Typically, the adult flies have a shiny, metallic colour of green, blue or black. The distinguishing morphological characters of the family are the wing venation, the structure of the antenna and a row of bristles on the meron (a part of the thorax above and between the middle and hind coxae).

Note:
This page deals only with storage pests in the family Calliphoridae. For the other groups see:

• Calliphoridae (medical/veterinary)
• Calliphoridae (predators/parasitoids)

The following species of storage pests are currently entered under this family:

• Chrysomya megacephala (product pest)