Guardian Nature School Team Contact Blog Project Noah Facebook Project Noah Twitter

A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife

Join Project Noah!
nature school apple icon

Project Noah Nature School visit nature school

Black Soldier Fly

Hermetia illucens

Description:

Large black fly, 1.5 cm long with beautiful eyes. This is Hermetia illucens, called the Black Soldier Fly in the Family Stratiomyidae. This species is widespread in the Americas and is a well-studied species because of the beneficial uses of the larvae in agriculture as essential decomposers in breaking down organic substrates and returning nutrients to the soil/environment. Also, for occasional cases of myiasis in humans and in forensic entomology. Larvae are found in moist wet decomposing materials.

Habitat:

This one came into the kitchen, semi-rural area, San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico, 2,200 meters.

Notes:

http://bugguide.net/node/view/828117/bgi... http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/live... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermetia_i... https://books.google.com.mx/books?id=iHn....

Species ID Suggestions



Sign in to suggest organism ID

No Comments

LaurenZarate
Spotted by
LaurenZarate

Chiapas, Mexico

Spotted on Aug 21, 2016
Submitted on Aug 23, 2016

Related Spottings

Black Soldier Fly Black soldier fly Black soldier fly Black Soldier Fly

Nearby Spottings

Caterpillar Pierid Butterfly Forest Katydid Moth
Noah Guardians
Noah Sponsors
join Project Noah Team

Join the Project Noah Team