Discover how blow flies help get rid of the smell and dead bodies of rats and other dead animals in and around your home. Blow flies might be your best friends?
The flies that interest us, are called the "true flies" from the order Diptera and are small insects that are responsible for removing and recycling huge quantities of waste both animal and plant in origin.
There are estimated to be over 100,000 different species, yet only a small proportion are considered important pests, both as a nuisance and as vectors of disease.
Blow flies are also commonly referred to as "carrion flies". These insects are named for their association with dead animals and their role in the decomposition process.
The name "blow fly" comes from the Old English word "blæwfluga" which means "fly of the meat". Other common names for blow flies include bluebottle flies and greenbottle flies. These names are often used to describe specific species within the family Calliphoridae, such as the bluebottle fly (Calliphora vomitoria) and the greenbottle fly (Lucilia sericata).
These insects belong to the order Diptera and the family Calliphoridae, with over 1,200 species found globally. In this article, we aim to provide a comprehensive guide to blow flies, exploring their anatomy, behaviour, habitat, and importance in the ecosystem.
Blow flies have a distinctive appearance, with a metallic or iridescent body colour that ranges from green to blue to copper.
They have two large compound eyes that are positioned on either side of the head, and short antennae. The wings are clear and have a characteristic “V” shape when viewed from above. The females have a sharp ovipositor that is used for laying eggs.
The body of a blow fly is segmented, with three thoracic segments and seven abdominal segments. The mouthparts of the blow fly are designed for liquid feeding, and the larvae feed on decaying organic matter.
Blow flies are strong fliers and are attracted to odours associated with death and decay. The female lays her eggs on or near a decomposing animal, and the eggs hatch within 8-20 hours into larvae, also known as maggots.
Maggots are legless and worm-like, with a moist, translucent appearance. They feed on the decaying organic matter and grow rapidly, moulting their skin several times. After several days, the larvae pupate and eventually emerge as adult blow flies.
The entire life cycle of a blow fly can take as little as seven days, and in some species, multiple generations can occur in a single year.
Blow flies can be found globally and their distribution is limited only by temperature and humidity. They are commonly found in temperate and tropical regions and thrive in environments with a consistent supply of carrion or other decaying organic matter.
In such environments, they can be found in a variety of habitats including forests, fields, and urban areas. The presence of blow flies can indicate the presence of decaying organic matter and their distribution can provide important information about the ecosystem and its functioning.
Blow flies play a crucial role in the ecosystem as detritivores. They help to break down dead organic matter, returning important nutrients back to the soil. They also serve as an important food source for other animals, including birds, reptiles, and amphibians.
In addition to their ecological role, blow flies are also of significant importance in forensic entomology. The life cycle and presence of blow fly larvae on a decaying body can provide important information to investigators, such as the time of death and the presence of any drugs or toxins.
The life cycle of the blow fly typically consists of four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.
This life cycle repeats itself continuously, providing a constant source of blow flies in their habitat. Understanding the life cycle of the blow fly is important in fields such as forensic entomology, where their presence on a dead body can provide information about the time of death.
Once a rat dies it takes many hours, days, or even weeks, before the insects access the carcass.
Temperature plays a vital part in this process because cold conditions render the insects dormant. Once the temperature rises above 10°C, we see them emerging from their long winter sleep, looking for a meal and a chance to reproduce.
Cold weather makes it unlikely flying insects will be around to notice dead rodents. Turning on heating systems will sometimes create a temperature rise in the properties cavities, stimulating overwintering insects to emerge and be attracted to the dead rodent.
Flies are our friends - the sooner they get into a carcass, the sooner the smell goes!
In most cases, flies from dead rats, rodents and birds emerge within a few weeks of maggot infestation.
The maggots or fly larvae, mature faster in warm conditions and develop sluggishly in colder weather. For this reason, it can be impossible to predict this time during inclement conditions.
Once the blowflies begin to emerge from pupae and metamorphosis, activity starts with just a few large flies.
As the day progresses, the number of insects gets worse and worse. By the end of the first week, 500-1500 flies will have almost completely vanished.
Flying insect infestation is common with poison baits, so trapping should always be considered a first step in avoiding fly infestations.
Most flies are dead within 30 days, although this can vary.
Dead rats can take many months to decompose. First, the fly larvae will enter the animal around the mouth and rear. Once the fly larvae complete their job, moth and beetle larvae come in to eat the skin and fur.
This process can take two years!
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