Photos - Sarcophaga - Part I
26 July 2005 / Tuesday -- when I first discovered these flies I checked the Internet for information about Viviparous or Larviparous flies, but not a lot is to be found-- there is a genus, Sarcophaga, which does produce a live early larval stage, but not many details were provided. From the photos, it does look similar to what I have, but apparetly there are many species, and they are said to be very difficult to distinguish --
Unfortunately, my insect collecting / studying supplies are in the Canaries, so I am slowly working under that obvious handicap -- I took a couple photos using a small desk tripod, which is not very useful, and was able to get the following pics which are somewhat better than the first two on my introductory page -- this one is very out of focus, but does show some of the upper thorax markings --
the others, somewhat more focused, show views of one of my specimens, spread as well as I could on the cotton of a Riker mount --
Since this is very frustrating, I shall have to wait to see if my vet allows me to take a couple closeups of a specimen, as well as the larva forms. In theory, I have an appointment with him this Friday, a rescheduling he had to do from today due to his heavy schedule.
It would be kewl to actually find out what this species happens to be, and if I perhaps have more than one form, males and females. I am also curious about their distribution -- why would flesh flies inhabit areas with no farms in the immediate vicinity? I do have a theory about exactly that, though. Can the larvae affect pets and humans? Do / can they carry disease?
Most people simply swat flies. When they do that to these critters, many larvae are shot out of the hind section -- what if they land on nearby food, on dinner ware that has been washed, in one's ears, mouth, hair or some open cut or wound, on one's clothes to be carried to other rooms and / or outside? Pets frequently chase flies, and play with them -- thus the larvae can be spread to the head, mouth and other parts of the cat or dog. What happens when that happens?
I shall not add more to this page -- new information and further photographs, when available, will be included in a new web page.
References: FDAs Most Wanted Flies / Sarcophaga / Sarcophaga 1 [Spanish] / Sarcophaga 2 / Sarcophaga 3 /
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