Life Cycle of a Blowfly

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Life Cycle of a Blowfly

A blowfly is a scavenging insect that lives and feeds on carcasses. A blowfly completes its entire life cycle in 10 to 35 days, depending on environmental conditions. The blowfly life cycle consists of egg, larva, pupa and adult phases.

  1. Egg

    • Female blowflies lay their yellow or white eggs on carcases. Blowfly eggs typically hatch within 24 hours.

    Larva

    • Blowfly larvae, called maggots, go through three maturation stages.

    Pupa

    • Mature blowfly larvae leave their food sources to pupate underneath the ground. The pupal phase usually lasts 8 to 10 days.

    Adult

    • Adult blowflies emerge from the soil after 10 to 17 days. Adult females begin reproducing within a week.

    Considerations

    • Forensic scientists can often determine a time of death by examining the life cycle phases of blowflies living on the carcass. Adult females can lay thousands of eggs in her lifetime.

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