1904.] 



The Sheep Maggot Fly. 



55i 



The Green-bottle Flies (Lucilia) and the Blue-bottle Flies 

 (Calliphord) are two genera belonging to the Muscida, an 

 important family of the two-winged flies. 



The Sheep Maggot Qne of the Green-bottle Fh.es (Lucilia 

 Fly. 



sericata), is a very prevalent cause of 

 maggots on sheep, the maggot-infested animals showing the 

 following characteristics — matting together of the wool fibres 

 a continual wagging of the tail; rubbing and biting by the 

 sheep in their efforts to allay the irritation caused by the feed- 

 ing maggots ; much inflammation ; the oozing from the sores 

 of an evil-smelling sticky fluid ; discolouration of the wool 



The Sheep Maggot Fi.y. Lucilia Sencatd. 



Fly, Twice Magnified. 



Pupa Case, Showing Maggot, Magnified. 



Place of Exit of Fly. 



which falls out and in bad cases does not grow again ; 

 emaciation of the sheep, especially lambs. 



Description of Lucilia in its different stages. 



Lucilia sericata is a bright shining green or blue-green fly 

 measuring about one-third of an inch long and about seven- 

 eighths of an inch in spread of wing. The fly, examined with 

 a lens, is seen to be covered with dark bristles, and the 

 arrangement of these bristles is used as an aid in distinguishing 

 this and allied species. 



The eggs are yellowish - white, and measure about one- 

 sixteenth of ar? inch in length. 



The larva is a legless maggot, capable, however, of an active 

 crawling movement. It measures when full grown from a quarter 



