Bug FAQCompsomyiops callipes
Compsomyiops callipes · Order: Diptera · Family: Calliphoridae
Compsomyiops callipes is a relatively large fly, measuring about 6 to 12 mm in length. It has a metallic blue body with a bright yellow face, four longitudinal lines on the pronotum, and brown calypters. The species is attracted to carrion and can detect it from many miles away.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Key identification features are its metallic blue thorax and abdomen, bright yellow gena, four lines on the pronotum, long dark setae on the hind coxa, club-shaped palp, and brown anterior spiracle and calypters.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults are about 6 to 12 mm long, which is large for a fly.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It prefers warm temperatures and is most common in rural and riparian areas rather than cities. It occurs in montane savanna and cloud forest habitats in Mexico, Australia, and Venezuela.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The fly is attracted to and feeds on carrion, detecting it from up to ten miles away.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Its life cycle includes larval, pupal, and adult stages. After the larval stage, it pupates before emerging as an adult.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
In the United States it is found in the southwestern region, and it also occurs in parts of South America.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It resembles flies of the genus Cochliomyia but can be told apart by its club-shaped palp, brown calypters, and distinctive chaetotaxy.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 4 of 51 states and DC. Most records: California, Arizona, Kansas, Texas.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
How can I identify Compsomyiops callipes?
Look for a metallic blue body, bright yellow face, four lines on the pronotum, long dark hairs on the hind coxa, a club-shaped palp, and brown calypters.
Source: Wikipedia
Where does Compsomyiops callipes live?
It lives in warm, rural and riparian areas, especially in the southwestern United States and in montane savanna and cloud forests of Mexico, Australia, and Venezuela.
Source: Wikipedia
What does Compsomyiops callipes eat?
It is attracted to carrion and can smell it from many miles away, using the scent to locate food.
Source: Wikipedia
What are the life stages of Compsomyiops callipes?
The fly goes through larval, pupal, and adult stages, with pupation following the larval period.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Calliphoridae)
Common European Greenbottle FlyLucilia sericataNuisance, not dangerous
Blue BlowflyCalliphora vicinaCan spread germs or disease
Black Blow FlyPhormia reginaNuisance, not dangerous
Oriental Latrine FlyChrysomya megacephalaCan spread germs or disease
Australian Sheep Blow FlyLucilia cuprinaNuisance, not dangerous
Locust BlowflyStomorhina lunataSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compsomyiops_callipes
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-28 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-28.