# Greenbottle Flies (*Lucilia*) Greenbottle flies are shiny green insects that love to buzz around in warm weather. They are often seen near flowers and can help with nature by breaking down waste. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Urban areas - **Also known as:** Bottle Fly ![Greenbottle Flies](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Green_bottle_fly3.jpg&width=800) Photo: Calibas, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Green_bottle_fly3.jpg) ## Appearance The Greenbottle Flies has a dazzling, iridescent metallic green or bluish-green body that shimmers like a jewel. It features large, prominent reddish-brown eyes and delicate, clear wings. This striking color helps distinguish it from other duller flies. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Diptera - **Family:** Calliphoridae - **Genus:** Lucilia ## Interesting facts - Greenbottle flies can sometimes be used by doctors to clean wounds! - Their amazing eyes have thousands of tiny lenses to see everything! - They can buzz their wings over 200 times per second to fly super fast! - They taste with their feet to decide if food is good to eat! ## Special abilities - **Super Sniffer:** Greenbottle Flies can sniff out decaying meat from over 10 miles away because of their powerful antennae that helps them find food. - **Rapid Reproducer:** Greenbottle Flies can lay hundreds of eggs in a single batch because of their quick reproductive cycle that helps them multiply fast. - **Time Teller:** Greenbottle Flies has a predictable life cycle that helps them assist scientists in figuring out how long ago an animal died. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 9-24 mm - **Size:** 6-12 mm - **Lifespan:** 14-28 days - **Flight Speed:** 10 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Greenbottle flies like to slurp up rotting stuff, but adults also drink nectar and sweet liquids! - **Age differences:** Larvae eat decaying organic matter, while adults primarily feed on sweet liquids like nectar or sap. - **Primary Foods:** decaying meat, rotting fruit, nectar, sap, feces - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [European Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-robin) (*Erithacus rubecula*) — Robins prey on adult flies. - **Eaten by:** Common Frog (*Rana temporaria*) — Frogs eat flies that land nearby. - **Eaten by:** Garden Orb Weaver (*Araneus diadematus*) — Spiders catch flies in their webs. - **Pollinates:** [Dandelion](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dandelion) (*Taraxacum officinale*) — Flies visit flowers, helping pollination. ## Traits - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Scavenger](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/scavenger): Scavengers consume dead organic matter, helping to decompose carcasses and other waste in the ecosystem. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Don't touch flies, as they can carry germs. Just watch them from a distance! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Greenbottle Flies? Look for six legs, antennae, three body sections and the shape of the wings. Beetles have hardened front wings; flies have just one working pair. Tiny insects may need a close view before their group is clear. Insect Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Greenbottle Flies's wingspan? 9-24 mm ### How big is Greenbottle Flies? 6-12 mm ### How long does Greenbottle Flies live? 14-28 days ### How fast can Greenbottle Flies fly? 10 km/h ### What does Greenbottle Flies eat? Greenbottle flies like to slurp up rotting stuff, but adults also drink nectar and sweet liquids! ### Where is Greenbottle Flies usually found? Urban areas ### How does Greenbottle Flies hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Scott Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/scott-arboretum) — Pennsylvania, US · Botanical Garden - [McLean Central Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mclean-central-park) — Virginia, US · Park - [W.J. Freeman Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/w-j-freeman-park) — Tennessee, US · Park [View all places to see Greenbottle Flies](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/greenbottle-flies) ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Greenbottle Flies: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/greenbottle-flies)