More about Calliphoridae (blowflies)

Following on from Tony White's piece on Pollenia species on ivy, he sent me another record. This time of the very colourful Calliphorid Cynomyia mortuorum (Linnaeus). This too was feeding on ivy flowers in Byfield. I have not seen this species in Northants and nor have I received any previous records. However, it is a widespread species so should be recorded more frequently. I did see one whilst on the Dipterists Forum field trip to Speyside and the Cairngorms in July. We were investigating a promising looking area of bog and old pines close to the Cairngorm Lodge Mountain Centre near Aviemore. A dead shrew was lying on a stump and several calliphorids were visiting it. These included the C. mortuorum. I took the photos below.

Cynomyia mortuorum (bottom right) and other calliphorid flies on a dead shrew, near Aviemore.

Closer view of Cynomyia mortuorum.
All photos on this blog are copyright John Showers 2012.