Maggot. Macrophotograph of a maggot of the blowfly or bluebottle fly Calliphora erythrocephala. This is the larval stage in the metamorphosis of a blo

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Maggot. Macrophotograph of a maggot of the blowfly or bluebottle fly Calliphora erythrocephala. This is the larval stage in the metamorphosis of a blowfly from egg to adult. The eggs are laid in places promising abundant food for the future maggots ( rotting vegetation, dung piles, exposed food and corpses). The white maggots which hatch are segmented; the mouth end (at top) tapers into a thin wedge with two mouth hooks to stabilise the maggot on its food. By secreting enzymes the maggot breaks down and liquifies its food, which is then absorbed in a fluid form. After 2 moults (3-4 days) the maggots pupate.

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Size: 3160px × 4893px
Photo credit: © CLAUDE NURIDSANY & MARIE PERENNOU/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: animal, blowfly, bluebottle, calliphora, erythrocephala, fly, insect, insecta, invertebrate, invertebrates, larva, maggot, medical, nature, wildlife, zoology