Friday, 21 June 2013

Green

Looking closely at our Pyracantha, I discovered plenty of bees, hoverflies and 'true' flies flitting about the myriad flowers.  Among these, one particular Greenbottle (Lucilia caesar) caught my eye.
Commonly known as one of the 'Blow Flies' the adults feed on nectar and pollen, while their larvae feed on various carrion.  The maggots are notorious in areas with sheep farms as they often feed on the living flesh of animals, getting in when the adults lay their eggs on open wounds.  Despite these somewhat undesirable habits, the adults nonetheless look quite spectacular as the sunlight glints off their shiny bodies and their reddish-brown composite eyes.