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Black Soldier Fly

Hermetia illucens

Photo by ChunXingWong
Published on Project Noah
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4.29673, 117.891

Field Notes

Description:

A common medium-sized fly. Approximately 16mm in length (excluded antennae). The whole body is almost black with some whitish area on the legs and on the abdomens. Their patterns and colors on it's eyes are as complicated as that of a deer fly. They are usually spotted resting while "exercising" their antennae by lifting one antenna while the other antenna is down in an alternate way - right antenna down, left antenna up; right antenna up, left antenna down, vice versa.

Habitat:

Adults wander around the neighborhood looking for mates and suitable nursery for their young. Maggots feed in manure, compost, rotting fruits and other organic wastes.

Notes:

This species has spread to many other countries but they do not cause any problems. On the contrary, they benefit many farmers. >>>Map accuracy : 250m diameter.

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (1)

What a tidy looking fly. Wings perfectly overlapped and so consistently black.

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