Lucilia sericata
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Lucilia sericata (Meigen, 1826) - (sheep blowfly)
This blowfly is widely distributed and often common. Females lay eggs into wounds, in a carcass, or on the wool of sheep. The larvae feed on dead tissue, but can also cause myiasis in sheep, the preferred host. In sheep, the larvae bore into the skin, causing considerable tissue damage. The infestation may lead to the death of the sheep (blow fly strike). However, L. sericata is not the only species causing blow fly strike in sheep.
Maggots reared under sterile conditions are used in medicine for debridement therapy. Further, this species is important in forensic investigations. The adult fly is larger than a house fly, around 12 mm long, with a greenish/golden metallic colouration and black marks.
| Vernacular names | |
|---|---|
| • Deutsch: | Goldfliege |
| • English: | sheep blowfly greenbottle |
| • Français: | mouche des moutons |
Synonyms:
Phaenicia sericata
- Other images of Lucilia sericata (PaDIL - click to enlarge)
head
head and thorax
thorax
abdomen
