Life Cycle
All members of the family Sarcophagidae are larviparous or ovoviviparous. Sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis (Bercaea cruentata) gives live birth to larvae with the female retaining the egg case in her abdomen. Flesh flies are strongly attracted to carrion or dry flesh. The female has a strong desire to lay larvae on the flesh and have even been noted to larviposit on the sleeve of a garment that has been previously soiled with blood. Oldroyd states that the larvae of Sarcophaga spp are voracious and will take anything of animal origin be it alive or dead. A larva is forced out of the larvipositor usually head first and soon disappears into the food material. Once larvae are deposited as 1st stage instars, rapid development follows with 3rd instars usually being achieved by three to four days. Larviposition to adulthood generally takes around two weeks.
If the fly is forced to hibernate due to temperate climates, it will do so in the pupal stage.
Read more about this topic: Sarcophaga Haemorrhoidalis
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