Lucilia sericata

A green metallic 'greenbottle' fly is the commonest of the very similar Lucilia species. It can be identified by the pale basicosta and a single anterodorsal bristle on the mid tibia. It also has a wide frons and much dusting on the thorax. It has 3 acrostichal bristles and 3 dorsocentral bristles after the suture on the thorax.

L. caesar is the next most common 'greenbottle' and this has 2 pairs of post-sutural acrostichal bristles and a dark basicosta.

• pale basicosta
• one anterior-dorsal bristle on the mid-tibia

Though common, it can only be separated from other Lucilia species by microscopic examination.

Popular places to find this species include on or near fruit, meat, rubbish dumps, faeces and dead animals. This fly is mainly found in the outdoors and most commonly in farm areas, but may be found indoors in colder months of the year.

Outdoors in summer but persisting indoors into the colder months.

Widespread and common in Britain.

Common but under-recorded in Leicestershire and Rutland.