Regal Blowfly

Chrysomya marginalis · Order: Diptera · Family: Calliphoridae

No source yet on danger. We have no source yet on whether it bites, stings or damages anything.
Regal Blowfly
Photo: Henry de Lange, CC BY

The regal blowfly grows to about 18 mm long. It shines with iridescent blues, greens or violets and has clear wings with a dark front edge.

Source: Wikipedia

How to recognize it

The fly is highly iridescent, showing blue, green-cyan or blue-violet colors depending on the view angle. Its wings are clear and window-like with a darkened front margin, which is the key field mark.

Source: Wikipedia

Size

Adults reach a body length of roughly 18 mm.

Source: Wikipedia

Where it comes from

It occurs south of the Sahara in Africa and also in several Middle-Eastern countries.

Source: Wikipedia

Lookalikes

It is often confused with the similar species Chrysomya megacephala.

Source: Wikipedia

More photos

Regal Blowfly photo 3
Photo: Alan Manson, CC BY
Regal Blowfly photo 4
Photo: Wynand Uys, CC BY

Questions people ask

How can I tell a regal blowfly apart from similar flies?

Look for the clear wings with a dark front edge and the strong iridescent blue-green-violet sheen.

Source: Wikipedia

Same family (Calliphoridae)

Common European Greenbottle FlyCommon European Greenbottle FlyLucilia sericataNuisance, not dangerousBlue BlowflyBlue BlowflyCalliphora vicinaCan spread germs or diseaseBlack Blow FlyBlack Blow FlyPhormia reginaNuisance, not dangerousOriental Latrine FlyOriental Latrine FlyChrysomya megacephalaCan spread germs or diseaseAustralian Sheep Blow FlyAustralian Sheep Blow FlyLucilia cuprinaNuisance, not dangerousLocust BlowflyLocust BlowflyStomorhina lunata

Sources

  • Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysomya_marginalis

Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia

Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.

How this page works

This is one bug's fact sheet. The colored box at the top says whether it is dangerous. Sections below cover how to recognize it, whether it is a pest, and how to deal with it. The US map shows which states have records; tap a state to see other bugs there.

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