Family Blow Flies - Calliphoridae
Genus Pollenia
This gold-speckled fly that I found at Pineview Reservoir was quite striking, and happily posed for photos. Cluster Flies
lay their eggs near earthworms and when the larvae hatch they get inside the earthworms and live off them; so, for such
an attractive fly (if flies can be attractive), they have rather revolting feeding habits as youngsters. Kind of reminds me
of my brothers, e.g., drinking out of the family milk carton, licking all their Halloween candy so they don't have to share,
cooking soup or hot dogs for breakfast, slathering an inch of butter on top of their already iced cake, etc. (I know -Stop!
Stop! It's too disgusting!) Now, getting back to the less-disgusting fly, here's an interesting article on Ohio State
University's site about Cluster Flies. © Carol Davis, 7-4-2010
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