File:Chrysomya_megacephala_male.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
Calliphoridae
Sign in to saveAlso known as blowflies, blow-flies, carrion flies, bluebottles, greenbottles, cluster flies
The Calliphoridae (commonly known as blowflies, blow flies, blow-flies, carrion flies, bluebottles, or greenbottles) are a family of insects in the order Diptera, with almost 1,900 known species. The maggot larvae, often used as fishing bait, are known as gentles. The family is known to be polyphyletic, but much remains disputed regarding proper treatment of the constituent taxa, some of which are occasionally accorded family status (e.g., Bengaliidae and Helicoboscidae).
OverviewAI-generated
Calliphoridae is a family of insects within the order Diptera, class Insecta, and phylum Arthropoda. Members of this family belong to the kingdom Animalia and are commonly known as blowflies. The taxon is classified with an accepted status in marine habitats.
Records for this family are held by various institutions, including MHNCA, which maintains 7,224 records and 826 media items. These records include occurrences in Mexico. A total of 429,516 occurrences have been documented, while 2,010 related entries exist in PubMed. The family is referenced by 480 other encyclopedia articles.
Synthesized by Vinony from 26 facts across 7 sources: Wikidata, GBIF, PubMed, Gbif Occ, iDigBio, WoRMS, Vinony graph. Generated from structured data (not the Wikipedia text) and checked against those facts — may still contain errors.
Species
blowflies
FAMILY
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumArthropoda
- ClassInsecta
- OrderDiptera
- FamilyCalliphoridae
via GBIF
Museum specimens
- Specimen records
- 7,224
- With media
- 826
- Family
- Calliphoridae
- Collections
- MHNCA
- Recorded in
- Mexico
Research
2,010 papers- Lucilia cuprina (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Calliphoridae): A potentially forgotten forensically important species in Malaysia.Science & justice : journal of the Forensic Science Society · 2024
- Chrysomya pinguis (Walker) (Diptera: Calliphoridae), blow fly of forensic importance: A review of bionomics and forensic entomology appraisal.Acta tropica · 2022
- Initial blow fly (Diptera: Calliphoridae) colonization of cats (Felis catus) in Indiana.Journal of medical entomology · 2024
- Antimicrobial Potential of Maggot Excretions/Secretions From Blowflies (Diptera: Calliphoridae).Wound repair and regeneration : official publication of the Wound Healing Society [and] the European Tissue Repair Society · 2025
- Impact of pesticides on Calliphoridae species: Insights into forensic entomotoxicology.Journal of forensic and legal medicine · 2026
via PubMed
~18 min read
Encyclopedic overview
18 sectionsContents
- Description
- Characteristics
- Development
- Food sources
- Predators
- Host-microbe interactions
- Diversity
- Genera
- Economic importance
- Myiasis
- Screwworms
- Maggot therapy
- Disease
- Pollination
- Forensic importance
- References
- Identification
- External links
The Calliphoridae (commonly known as blowflies, blow flies, blow-flies, carrion flies, bluebottles, or greenbottles) are a family of insects in the order Diptera, with almost 1,900 known species. The maggot larvae, often used as fishing bait, are known as gentles. The family is known to be polyphyletic, but much remains disputed regarding proper treatment of the constituent taxa, some of which are occasionally accorded family status (e.g., Bengaliidae and Helicoboscidae).
==Description==
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Calliphoridae” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.