INSECT FAUNA OK HUMAN EXCREMENT 



565 



Sarcophaga sarracoiicB Riley. 

 This lly, which superficially resembles the house fly, except 

 that it is twice or three times as large, belongs to the group of 

 flesh flies, as the generic name indicates, and was originally 

 bred from the animal contents of the cups of the pitcher plants 

 of the genus Saj'raccnia by Riley. Riley considered it a variety 

 of Sarcophaga carnaria, the widespread common flesh fly which 



Fig. 20. Sarcophaga sarracenice : larva at right; adult in center ; puparium 

 at left — enlarged (original). 



is a general scavenger in Europe and Australia, but its specific 

 identity seems to be assured. This insect has been captured on 

 and bred from human excrement on several occasions in the 

 course of our work. It has occasionally been found in houses, 

 though its presence there seems to be accidental. At Washing- 

 ton, it was captured on exposed faeces May 12 and issued on 

 May 30 from fgeces collected May 12. On July 2, at Piney 

 Branch, D. C, an adult female of this species w^as observed to 

 deposit eleven living larvae upon fasces and then fly away. 

 From this deposit, one adult issued on July 29. June 6, it was 

 captured on a fresh deposit in south Washington, and adults is- 



