Appearance
Blow flies are commonly shiny with metallic coloring, often blue, green or black thoraces and abdomens. They are usually around 9-22 mm in length. All blow flies have feathery hairs on their body.
Habitat
You can usually find blow flies making their home around decaying meat and are the first organisms to come into contact with dead animals - they use the meat for growth. Blow flies lay their eggs in rotting meat. Maggots will feed off this meat and then find a dry location to grow. Different species are active at different times - some thrive during the cooler months, while other are more active during the hot seasons and require hotter temperatures to complete growth.
Prevention
When you find multiple blow flies or their larvae these are signs of an infestation. You may see the adults on surfaces around the house or flying around food or odors. To avoid infestation, you should always keep food and garbage closed and away from common surfaces. Call Critter Control or Seattle today for more information on blow fly control and blow fly prevention tips!