Australian Sheep Blowfly - Lucilia cuprina

Family Calliphoridae

This page contains pictures and information about Australian Sheep Blowflies that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.


Body length 8mm

This Blowfly are also known as Green Blowfly. Their larvae breed mostly on living sheep and corpse. The fly is one of the first flies to lay its eggs in a corpse. The fly is green metallic colour, silvery head and red eyes.





The Blowfly feeds on nectar. It is the major pest species in sheep farming.

Reference:
1. Insects of Australia, CSIRO, Division of Entomology, Melbourne University Press, 2nd Edition 1991, p781.
2. Insects of Australia and New Zealand - R. J. Tillyard, Angus & Robertson, Ltd, Sydney, 1926, p375.
3. Wildlife of Tropical North Queensland - Queensland Museum Publications 2000, p108.
4. Lucilia sericata (Meigen) - Australian Insect Common Names, CSIRO 2005
5. Northern Territory Insects, A Comprehensive Guide CD - Graham Brown, 2009.
6. Sheep parasites Management of blowflies - Ken Wilson and Bob Armstrong, reviewed by Geoff Knights, Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries

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