Flesh flies are similar in appearance to the house fly, but are characterized by black-ish stripes on the gray region behind the head, and a checkered pattern of light and dark gray; on the abdomen.
Although most flesh flies enjoy tropical regions, their species is generally widespread. Although a majority of members are scavengers and breed in carrion, dung, or decaying material, a few species of these flies will lay their eggs in the open wounds of mammals; hence their popular name. In fact, the specific preferences and predictable life cycle timings of the flesh fly, allows forensic entomologists to understand the progress of decomposition; enabling the calculation of the time of death by back extrapolation. Such valuable evidence has been used, to help identify murderers and victims.
Flesh flies are often considered a pest control problem, because they can carry leprosy bacilli and transmit intestinal pseudomyiasis, to people who happen to consume; the flesh fly's larvae. As well, Flesh flies, have been known to cause myiasis in animals (predominately sheep), causing blood poisoning, or asymptomatic leprosy infections.
Read more about the Flesh fly.
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