Common Green Bottle Fly

Natural Habitat

Found worldwide in most temperate and tropical regions, commonly near gardens, farms, and areas with decaying organic matter or waste.

Diet & Feeding

Adults feed on nectar and pollen; larvae (maggots) consume carrion, decaying meat, or necrotic tissue.

Behavior Patterns

They are diurnal and attracted to the smell of decomposition where females lay eggs. They have a rapid life cycle, often used in forensic entomology to determine time of death.

Risks & Benefits

Risks include the spread of pathogens like Salmonella. Benefits include ecological decomposition and use in 'maggot therapy' to clean non-healing wounds.

Identified on: 3/11/2026