Red-tailed Flesh Fly vs Warble Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Red-tailed Flesh Fly Warble Fly
Scientific Name Sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis Hypoderma bovis
Order Diptera Diptera
Family Sarcophagidae Oestridae
Size 10-14 mm 13-15 mm
Habitat Underground Farmland
Diet Dung Feeders Predators
Regions Worldwide Europe, Asia, North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Red-tailed Flesh Fly

A large gray flesh fly with a distinctive red-tipped abdomen. It deposits live larvae on meat, wounds, and feces.

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Did You Know?

Unlike most flies, females give birth to live larvae rather than laying eggs.

Warble Fly

A large, hairy bee-like fly whose larvae migrate through the bodies of cattle for months before emerging from cysts in the back. Adults have vestigial mouthparts and cannot feed.

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Did You Know?

The buzzing of a single warble fly approaching can cause an entire herd of cattle to stampede in panic, a behavior called gadding.