Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » Calyptratae » Oestroidea » Blow Flies (Calliphoridae) » Lucilia » Lucilia silvarum

Species Lucilia silvarum

lucilia silvarum - Lucilia silvarum - male calliphorid - Lucilia silvarum - male MN Oct - Lucilia silvarum - female MN Oct - Lucilia silvarum Calliphoridae? Is it possible to identify to Genus, perhaps species? - Lucilia silvarum - male Blow Flies Lucilia silvarum - Lucilia silvarum - male Blow Flies Lucilia silvarum - Lucilia silvarum - male Lucilia coeruleiviridis ? - Lucilia silvarum - male
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Diptera (Flies)
No Taxon (Calyptratae)
Superfamily Oestroidea
Family Calliphoridae (Blow Flies)
Genus Lucilia
Species silvarum (Lucilia silvarum)
Explanation of Names
Lucilia silvarum (Meigen 1826)
Identification
Three postsutural acrostichal setae, two postsutural intra-alar setae, black palps(1)
Range
Widespread thru the US and southern Canada(1)(2)
Habitat
Attracted to carrion. Until recently, this species was believed to be occasionally parasitic in frogs and other amphibians(2). Previous records of Anuran myiasis by L. silvarum are now attributed to L. bufonivora(3).
Season
Spring to fall(2)
Life Cycle
This species is thought to be strictly saprophitic(3).
Remarks
Any published records of Lucilia silvarum prior to 2021 should be treated with some level of caution. A very similar species, Lucilia bufonivora was present but undetected for many years and prior to updating relevant keys to include L. bufonivora, those specimens may have keyed to L. silvarum.
Works Cited
1.Keys to the genera and species of blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) of America north of Mexico
Whitworth T.L. 2006. Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash. 108: 689–725.
2.Blow flies (Diptera;Calliphoridae) of eastern Canada with a key to Calliphoridae subfamilies and genera of eastern North America
Marshall S.A., Whitworth T., Roscoe L. 2011. Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification 11: 1-93.
3.Lucilia bufonivora, Not Lucilia silvarum (Diptera: Calliphoridae), Causes Myiasis in Anurans in North America With Notes About
Whitworth, T. L., Bolek, M. G., & Arias-Robledo, G. 2020. Journal of Medical Entomology.
Contributed by A.W. Thomas on 14 January, 2008 - 7:56pm
Additional contributions by Bbarnd, Andrew Meeds, Vox Sciurorum, v belov
Last updated 9 May, 2023 - 5:36pm

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2024 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology at Iowa State University logo