About Chrysomya marginalis
Chrysomya marginalis, commonly called the regal blowfly, is a large fly species with adults reaching up to 18 millimeters in body length. Its body is cylindrical and robust, with a highly iridescent surface that shifts color between rich blue, greenish-cyan, and blueish-violet depending on the viewing angle. The short, compact abdomen is almost cubic in shape, divided into several segments marked by moderately thick dark bands. The broad, shield-like thorax is split into three distinct segments, and each segment is also marked with dark bands similar to the abdomen. The head is pale yellow, and bears large, red, faceted compound eyes; male regal blowflies have holoptic compound eyes. Three ocelli are arranged in a triangular formation on the top of the head. The most notable feature of the species is its pair of wings: the wings are window-like and hyaline, with a dark anterior wing margin. This dark margin is the main defining trait used to identify Chrysomya marginalis, as it is often confused with the similar species Chrysomya megacephala.
