Oriental Blue Fly

Chrysomya megacephala is perhaps best known by its common name, the Oriental Latrine Fly, but it also known as the Oriental Blue Fly. It is, perhaps, most famous for its role in forensic science. This is the fly that lays its eggs on dead bodies and the larvae, which eat the flesh, enable forensic scientists to determine the time of death. My photos show several of these flies on plants in our backyard and I had no idea why there were so many, all at the same time, but the answer was very simple. Some of our banana plants were knocked down by a recent typhoon and the bananas make very good compost, when they start to rot, Apparently, it is not just our plants that like "banana compost". The Latrine Flies absolutely love it.