Striped Dung Fly

The thorax of the fly is stripped from the head to tail with black and yellow stripes, the fly's legs are bristly and almost look fluffy. They look very much like the European flesh fly and share similar traits.

The Striped dung fly is considered to have originated South America and is now present across Oceania. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, Fiji, French Polynesia, Norfolk Island and New Zealand.

New Zealand range. The striped dung fly has been found throughout New Zealand and with a higher abundance of observations on the North Island. These sightings include Sutton Lake, Hurford, Otago, Kaikoura, Kerikeri, Tasman, Taranaki, Manawatū, Rotarua Island, Ruahine Ranges, Omaha Beach and Purakaunui.

Habitat preferences. The striped dung fly is found around the summer months and is commonly found in rubbish, long grasses and flowers. Their main habitat is open pastures and farms. This is due to the animal dung and compost they breed in. The striped dung fly prefers a habitat without large variations in temperature throughout the day.

Dung fly females lay their eggs in the dung and within a few days the eggs hatch into larvae the eat the dung that they are. After about 21 days of feeding on the dung they burrow into the soil beneath the dung and become pupae. Then they become adult flies. There can be many generations of flies within a year. This life cycle above is common among the dung fly family.