Phil Bendle Collection:Fly (Flesh Fly) Jantia crassipalpis

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Section: Schizophora
Superfamily: Oestroidea
Family: Sarcophagidae
Species: Jantia crassipalpis
Common name: Flesh fly, European Flesh fly,

Flesh flies of the family Sarcophaginae are so called from their habit of laying living larvae, or eggs that hatch immediately, on fresh meat, fish, etc. In open air markets in many tropical countries, such commodities are commonly infested by the time of purchase. In general, larvae live in practically any kind of decomposing organic matter, but especially carrion. Most adult Sarcophaginae are readily recognised by the bold, black longitudinal stripes on the scutum and the changing, tesselated black and grey pattern of the abdomen.

The introduced European flesh fly is a bristly black and grey fly which lays live maggots. It is common on the North Island during Summer. It sits with its legs spread and has white pads under its feet.

Jantia crassipalpis on Earina autumnalis (Easter Orchid)

A juvenile fly pumping up its wings.
 

Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

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