The Common Green Bottle Fly (Lucilia sericata) is a member of the order Diptera, which includes all true flies. Within this order, it belongs to the family Calliphoridae, commonly known as blow flies. These flies are closely related to other carrion- and decomposer-associated species, and are well-known for their ecological role in decomposition. Though not associated with plants botanically, their classification within the insect world plays a major role in both natural and forensic sciences, especially in the study of decay processes.
Lucilia sericata is easily identified by its metallic green or blue-green body, which shimmers in sunlight. Adults typically measure 10–14 millimeters in length and have short, bristly bodies, large reddish compound eyes, and clear wings with distinct venation. They often make a distinctive buzzing sound in flight. Their shiny, iridescent appearance makes them stand out from other common houseflies and is one of their most distinctive identifying features.
This species is known by several common names, including the green blowfly, greenbottle fly, and sheep blowfly. In medical and veterinary contexts, it may also be referred to as the surgical maggot when used for therapeutic purposes. The name “greenbottle” comes from its bottle-like reflective appearance, which has made it both a subject of fascination and a nuisance in human settings.
The Common Green Bottle Fly has a widespread distribution, being found throughout Europe, North America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. It thrives in both urban and rural environments and is highly adaptive. Due to its strong flight abilities and reliance on decaying organic matter, it can quickly colonize a wide variety of habitats, including garbage dumps, animal carcasses, gardens, slaughterhouses, and pastures.
Its ideal habitats include decaying organic matter, animal carcasses, feces, and open wounds, especially in livestock. These flies are often found in temperate climates, but can also survive in warmer regions. They are especially common in areas where sanitation is poor or where livestock are kept, making them both ecologically significant and, at times, a veterinary concern—particularly due to their role in flystrike in sheep.
Common predators of Lucilia sericata include birds, amphibians, spiders, predatory beetles, and parasitic wasps. While adult flies are agile and fast, they are vulnerable during their larval and pupal stages, especially when they develop in exposed carrion or wounds. Many natural predators help regulate greenbottle populations, which can otherwise reproduce rapidly under ideal conditions.
Habits and Lifespan of Adults revolve around their role in decomposition and reproduction. Adult Green Bottle Flies are active during the day, often basking in sunlight on surfaces like walls, fences, or vegetation. They are highly mobile, capable of flying long distances to locate food or breeding sites. Their lifespan is typically short, ranging from 2 to 4 weeks, depending on environmental conditions like temperature and food availability. A single female can lay 2,000–3,000 eggs in her lifetime, depositing them in batches of 150–200 on carrion, feces, or open wounds. The lifecycle from egg to adult can complete in as little as 10–20 days under optimal conditions, with larvae pupating in soil or debris after feeding.
Mating Habits are rapid and opportunistic, typical of blow flies. Males locate females through visual cues and pheromones, often aggregating near breeding sites like carrion. Courtship is minimal, involving brief physical contact where males mount females to copulate. Mating can occur multiple times, and females store sperm to fertilize eggs over several egg-laying sessions. Warm temperatures accelerate mating activity, and flies are most reproductively active in spring and summer. Their high reproductive output ensures rapid population growth in favorable conditions.
Diet and Nutrition for adult Green Bottle Flies primarily consists of liquid or semi-liquid organic matter. They feed on nectar, plant sap, and sugary substances for energy, but their primary food source is decaying organic material, including carrion, feces, and rotting food. They use their sponging mouthparts to dissolve solid matter with saliva before consuming it. Adults are also attracted to open wounds or sores on animals, contributing to their pest status in livestock. Larvae feed exclusively on decaying tissue or organic matter, playing a key role in breaking down carrion. Interestingly, their feeding habits make them valuable in medical settings, where sterile maggots are used in maggot therapy to clean wounds by consuming dead tissue.