**Queen Blowflies** generally refers to the mature, reproductive female of species in the Family Calliphoridae (e.g., Bluebottle and Greenbottle Flies). The conflict is primarily **health hazard and nuisance**: the female lays large numbers of eggs on decaying organic matter (carrion, garbage, feces), and the resultant maggots and adults pose a risk by **transmitting pathogens** from filthy substrates to human food and surfaces. They are a strong indicator of poor sanitation.
Taxonomy and Classification
Blowflies belong to the order Diptera (Flies). They undergo complete metamorphosis. The female is highly attracted to foul odors and is an early indicator of animal carcass decay (used in forensic science). They are known for their metallic, often iridescent coloring.
Physical Description
Adult Blowflies are medium-sized, 1/4 to 1/2 inch long.
- **Appearance (Key ID):** Robust, noisy flies with a distinctive **metallic blue, green, or copper** sheen on the thorax and abdomen. They have short, thick antennae.
- **Larva (Key ID):** The familiar white, tapered maggot found en masse in decaying organic matter.
- **Behavior (Key ID):** Highly mobile and fast-flying. They lay eggs in large clusters on fresh carrion or meat scraps.
- **Conflict:** Pathogen transmission and nuisance noise/presence.
Distribution and Habitat
Blowflies are cosmopolitan. Their habitat is any area with decaying meat, fish, garbage, or moist feces, where the female seeks oviposition sites.
Behavior and Conflict
The conflict is dominated by their sanitation risk.
- **Pathogen Transmission:** Flies carry bacteria (like *E. coli* and *Salmonella*) on their legs and mouthparts, transmitting them to clean surfaces and food after crawling on filth.
- **Rapid Life Cycle:** They complete their life cycle extremely quickly in warm conditions (sometimes under 10 days), leading to massive populations rapidly emerging from a single source (e.g., a dead rodent in a wall void).
- **Myiasis:** Certain blowflies can cause myiasis (infestation of living tissue by maggots) in animals, requiring veterinary care.
Management and Prevention
Control is integrated pest management (IPM), centered entirely on sanitation.
- **Hygiene:** Immediately clean up and dispose of all sources of decaying organic matter (feces, meat scraps, food waste) in tightly sealed bins.
- **Structural:** Locate and remove the carcass of any dead animal (rodent, bird) in wall voids or attic spaces.
- Ensure windows and doors have tight-fitting screens and block access to attics and wall voids where dead animals may be located.
- Use commercial blowfly traps (baited with rotting meat or a synthetic lure) to capture adults, placing them far away from the human dwelling.
Conservation and Research
Blowflies are primarily managed as public health pests but are highly valued in forensic entomology (estimating time of death) and are studied for their use in maggot therapy (wound debridement). Research focuses on optimizing forensic models and developing better sanitation controls.