Pollenia rudis

Taxobox
name = Cluster fly

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image_caption = A male "Pollenia" on "Schizophyllum commune" fungus growing on "Betula"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
subphylum = Hexapoda
classis = Insecta
subclassis = Pterygota
infraclassis = Neoptera
superordo = Endopterygota|
ordo = Diptera
subordo = Brachycera
infraordo = Muscomorpha
zoosubsectio = Calyptratae
familia = Calliphoridae
subfamilia = Polleniinae
genus = "Pollenia"
species = "P. rudis"
binomial = "Pollenia rudis"
binomial_authority = Fabricius, 1794

The Common cluster fly, "Pollenia rudis", is a member of the blowfly family Calliphoridae. Unlike other blowflies, the cluster fly does not present a significant health hazard to humans, because they do not feed on or lay eggs on human food. The larvae are parasites of earthworms of the genus Allolobophthora, eating their hosts over a period of several months. The adult flies feed on the nectar of flowers during the summer months. Over-wintering adults do not normally feed. There are three to four generations per year.

The species does, however, present a considerable nuisance when the adults emerge in the late summer or early autumn and enter houses and out-houses to hibernate, often in considerable numbers if homes are near grassed areas that have large populations of earthworms, like fields, golf courses, large lawns, sports fields, and cemeteries. They are difficult to eradicate being a larger insect and favouring inaccessible spaces.

Description

The cluster fly is a medium sized fly between 6 to 8 mm long. It is brownish-black in colour with dense coverings of short golden-coloured hairs on the sides of the thorax. These hairs may get rubbed off as the fly ages, leaving only yellow side tufts. There are lines or stripes behind the head. The fly overlaps its wing tips over the abdomen when at rest.

Distribution

This is a very common and widespread species. Found in Europe and some parts of Asia, as far East as Arabia, Canada and most parts of the United States [cite book|author=Rognes, K. |year=1991 |title=Blowflies (Diptera, Calliphoridae) of Fennoscandia and Denmark|pages=272 pp|id=ISBN 978-9-004-09304-1|publisher=Brill] [cite book|author=Erzinclioglu, Zakaria|year=1996 |title=Blowflies (Naturalists' Handbook)|pages=72 pp|id=ISBN 978-0-855-46303-8|publisher=Richmond Publishing Company]

References