Odontomyia (Soldier Flies)Odontomyia Index Hermetia illucens (Black Soldier Fly)
— see Soldier Flies
Known as the Black Solider Fly (Hermetia illucens), it is a common and widespread fly across the world, including the Australasian region. It is a member of the family Stratiomyidae.
The adult black soldier flies are not considered pests and unlike the houseflies that regurgitate food along with digestive enzymes (spreading diseases), the black solider flies have a greatly reduced sponging mouthparts, so are only able to consume liquids such as flower nectar or not eat at all.
They are great in recycling organic waste and generating animal feed. The harvested pupae, prepupae and larvae are used as feed.
The Black Soldier Fly pictured below, was rescued from a swimming pool.
- Scientific classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Hexapoda
- Class: Insecta
- Informal: Pterygotes
- Order: Diptera
- Suborder: Brachycera
- Informal: Orthorrhapha
- Superfamily: Stratiomyoidea
- Family: Stratiomyidae
- Subfamily: Hermetiinae
- Genus: Hermetia
- Species: Hermetia illucens
Footnote & References
- Many thanks for soldier fly ID to Tissa Ratnayeke, member of Entomology Australia “Invertebratology”, Facebook group, https://www.facebook.com/groups/507004496955277/
- Hermetia illucens (Linnaeus, 1758), Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/Hermetia illucens
- Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens), iNaturalistAU, https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/82177-Hermetia-illucens
- Hermetia illucens, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermetia_illucens
Odontomyia (Soldier Flies)Odontomyia Index Hermetia illucens (Black Soldier Fly)
DipteraDiptera Index Drone Flies and Hover Flies Flies Pollinators and Flies The Eyes of Flies Australian Sheep Blowfly (Lucilia cuprina) Australian Drain Fly Bat Flies Bee Flies Bee Flies Index Anthrax (Bee Fly) Australiphthiria Balaana Beefly Cryomyia sp Ligyra Neosardus cosmus Chrysomya saffranea Clogmia (Moth Fly) Eristalinus punctulatus Exorista, Fly Miltinus stenogaster Musca Odontomyia (Soldier Flies) Odontomyia Index Hermetia illucens (Black Soldier Fly) Physiphora alceae Physocephala australiana Robber Flies Sarcophaga aurifrons Soldier Fly Syrphidae Syrphids Common Halfband (Melangyna viridiceps) Yellow-shouldered Stout Hover Fly (Simosyrphus grandicornis) Therevidae
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