Bot Fly vs Australian Sheep Blowfly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Bot Fly | Australian Sheep Blowfly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dermatobia hominis | Calliphora augur |
| Order | Diptera | Diptera |
| Family | Oestridae | Calliphoridae |
| Size | 12-18 mm | 10-13 mm |
| Habitat | Forests | Farmland |
| Diet | Parasites | Carrion Feeders |
| Regions | Central America, South America | Australia |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Bot Fly
Parasitic fly whose larvae develop under the skin of mammals including humans. Female captures a mosquito and glues eggs to it — when the mosquito bites, body heat triggers egg hatching.
Did You Know?
The human bot fly is so devious it hijacks mosquitoes — it catches them, glues eggs to their bodies, then the eggs hatch when the mosquito lands on warm skin.
Australian Sheep Blowfly
A large, dark blue blow fly endemic to Australia with a distinctive orange face and cheeks. It is one of the earliest colonizers of carrion in Australian conditions and is used in forensic entomology. Occasionally it contributes to secondary blowfly strike in sheep.
Did You Know?
Its bright orange face distinguishes it from other blue blow flies and makes it one of the most recognizable forensic indicator species in Australia.