Maggots » Manaaki Whenua

Blowfly maggot. Image: Cleveland Museum of Natural History

Blowfly maggot. Image: Cleveland Museum of Natural History

Order: Diptera
Family: Calliphoridae

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Size range

10–15 mm long

Distribution

Native and introduced species

Life history

Maggots are the immature stages of blowflies
Pests on farms. Larvae normally found on carrion. Some species strike sheep by burrowing through the skin to live tissue
In houses, food, especially meat, left exposed in summer is likely to be infested with blowfly eggs that quickly develop into larvae.

Golden blowfly [Lucilia] species. Image: Phil Bendle Collection, CitSciHub.nz Image — Golden blowfly Lucilia species. Image: Phil Bendle Collection, CitSciHub.nz

New Zealand blue blowfly [Calliphora quadrimaculata]. Image: Steve Kerr / CC-BY Image — New Zealand blue blowfly Calliphora quadrimaculata. Image: Steve Kerr / CC-BY

Hairy maggot blowfly [Chrysomya rufifacies]. Image: wild-wind / CC-BY Image — Hairy maggot blowfly Chrysomya rufifacies. Image: wild-wind / CC-BY

Adult Blowfly Image — Adult Blowfly

Blowfly maggot. Image: Cleveland Museum of Natural History Image — Blowfly maggot. Image: Cleveland Museum of Natural History

Blowfly pupa. Image: Cleveland Museum of Natural History Image — Blowfly pupa. Image: Cleveland Museum of Natural History