Common Green Bottle Fly
Lucilia sericata
This record describes Lucilia sericata (species). Recorded family: Calliphoridae. Recorded order: Diptera.
Identification and Appearance
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Terms from the source record, grouped for readability. Broad terms such as size or location are not measurements or a confirmed range.
Wikipedia reference for Lucilia sericata: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_green_bottle_fly.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Diptera (Flies)
- Superfamily
- Oestroidea
- Family
- Calliphoridae (Blow Flies)
- Subfamily
- Melanomyinae
- Genus
- Lucilia
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Popular places to find this species include on or near fruit, meat, rubbish dumps, faeces and dead animals. This fly is mainly found in the outdoors and most commonly in farm areas, but may be found indoors in colder months of the year.
Seasonal Activity
Outdoors in summer but persisting indoors into the colder months.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Widespread and common in Britain.
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Diptera, the group containing Lucilia sericata. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Diptera includes over 150,000 described species of flies, mosquitoes, and midges. Mosquitoes are the deadliest animal on Earth (CDC). Malaria alone causes ~249 million cases and over 608,000 deaths annually, mostly children under 5 (WHO). Vector-borne diseases account for over 17% of all infectious diseases, causing 700,000+ deaths per year.
Ecological role of the group
Despite their disease impact, flies are critical decomposers and pollinators. Hoverflies alone pollinate hundreds of crop and wildflower species. Flies are also the primary food source for many birds, bats, and fish. Forensic entomology relies heavily on fly species for crime scene analysis.
Economic and practical significance of the group
In the U.S., vector-borne disease cases tripled between 2004-2016, with over 640,000 cases reported in that period (CDC). Tickborne diseases doubled from 22,000 to 48,000 annual reports. Globally, mosquito-borne diseases cost billions in healthcare and lost productivity.
Recorded sources for this group: WHO, CDC, PNAS. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Common Green Bottle Fly (8)
Frequently Asked Questions About Common Green Bottle Fly
How big is Common Green Bottle Fly?
9mm to 10mm (0.35" to 0.39")
Where is Common Green Bottle Fly found?
Habitat: Popular places to find this species include on or near fruit, meat, rubbish dumps, faeces and dead animals. This fly is mainly found in the outdoors and most commonly in farm areas, but may be found indoors in colder months of the year.
When is Common Green Bottle Fly active?
Common Green Bottle Fly: seasonal activity - Outdoors in summer but persisting indoors into the colder months..