Maggots (Fly Larvae)
Scientific Name: Varies depending on species, commonly Calliphoridae (blow flies) or Muscidae (house flies)
Order & Family: Diptera (Flies), various families
Size: 3-20 mm (due to variety of fly species)
Natural Habitat
Found in decaying organic matter, carrion, feces, rotting food, and sometimes in open wounds of animals or humans.
Diet & Feeding
Mainly decaying organic matter, necrotic tissue, carrion, and sometimes living tissue.
Behavior Patterns
Larval stage of flies; they are legless and worm-like, primarily focused on feeding and growing. They go through several instars before pupating into adult flies. They are attracted to odors from decaying matter for feeding and oviposition.
Risks & Benefits
Risks: Can be pests in agriculture and homes, can transmit pathogens, and some species cause myiasis (infestation of living tissue). Benefits: Important decomposers in ecosystems, used in forensic entomology to estimate time of death, and sterile maggots are used in maggot debridement therapy (MDT) to clean wounds.
Identified on: 9/18/2025