Question

Describe the Blow Fly stages of development. Include each of the instar stages

Answer 1

Blow flies go through four stages of development: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Each stage looks different and serves a specific purpose in the blow fly life cycle.

Step-by-step explanation:

Blow flies, or Calliphoridae, go through several stages of development known as instars. They have four instar stages:

1. Egg: The first stage of blow fly development is the egg stage. Female blow flies lay their eggs in decaying organic matter, such as animal carcasses or rotting food. The eggs are small and white.
2. Larva: After the eggs hatch, the blow fly larvae, or maggots, emerge. They have a cylindrical shape with a pointed head. Blow fly larvae feed on the decaying matter and grow in size. They go through three larval instars, becoming larger with each instar.
3. Pupa: Once the larvae have completed their growth, they enter the pupal stage. The pupa is an inactive stage where the larval tissues break down and reorganize into the adult form. The pupa is typically brown in color and may be enclosed in a protective case called a puparium.
4. Adult: After the pupal stage, the blow fly emerges as an adult. The adult blow fly has wings and a distinct body shape. Female blow flies are usually larger than males.

Each of these stages is an important part of the blow fly life cycle.