The Green Bottle Fly is a brilliantly metallic green blow fly familiar around outdoor food and garbage. Its maggots are used in medical maggot therapy — applied to non-healing wounds to debride dead tissue and fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria. It is a widespread species with rapid generations, making it abundant in warm weather.
Best time to see a Green Bottle Fly
The best time to see a Green Bottle Fly is May–August, when about 64% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 7,392 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Green Bottle Fly? What bug is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
Recent Green Bottle Fly sightings near you
Live, research-grade observations from iNaturalist. Allow location to center the map on you.
Spotted a Green Bottle Fly?
Point Huck at any plant, bird, or animal and know for sure - plus a live map of where it is being spotted near you.