Like other blowflies, C. vomitoria colonize animal remains, including humans.
While adult C. vomitoria feed on nectar, the larvae feed on corpses, the medium in which they grow.
However, it has been shown that feeding on processed substrates (food that are modified for human consumption by increasing shelf life and taste through salting, curing, smoking, etc) provided much better growth than unprocessed substrates such as raw unmodified liver.
Because different substrates drastically affected growth, C. vomitoria is best characterized as a specialist that best utilizes processed substrates (minced meats, for example).
Its close relative, Calliphora vicina, is a generalist, being able to utilize mixed substrates with equal growth rates.
In the case of overcrowding, C. vomitoria competition results in compensation by increased speed of development, leading to smaller larvae and adults.
This has complications in forensics because different parts of the body would grow at different rates.
Additionally, it has been shown that the fly larvae are able to colonize even buried remains.
Growth rates between surface and buried larvae grew at a similar increased pace.
Usually, these flies lay their eggs around wounds on fresh corpses shortly after death.
Right before the pupal stage, the fly larvae that leaves the carrion can burrow into the soil in order to pupate.
Then, adult flies emerge.
In decaying carcasses, it was found that Calliphoridae flies dominate, especially C. vomitoria.
In both spring and fall, C. vomitoria is the primary species found on carcasses.
In some cases, C. vomitoria shares carcasses with other calliphorid species such as Lucilia caesar.

Bluebottle fly adults feed on nectar, and they are pollinators of flowers.
They are especially attracted to flowers that have strong odors, such as those that have adapted to smell like rotting meat.
Plants pollinated by the fly include the skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus), American pawpaw (Asimina triloba), dead horse arum (Helicodiceros muscivorus), goldenrod and some species of the carrot family.
These insects tend to fly in packs in order to detect possible food sources more efficiently.
If one fly detects food, it disperses a pheromone, which will alert the others to the meal.
Like other blowflies, C. vomitoria colonize animal remains, including humans. While adult C. vomitoria feed on nectar, the larvae feed on corpses, the medium in which they grow. However, it has been shown that feeding on processed substrates (food that are modified for human consumption by increasing shelf life and taste through salting, curing, smoking, etc) provided much better growth than unprocessed substrates such as raw unmodified liver. Because different substrates drastically affected growth, C. vomitoria is best characterized as a specialist that best utilizes processed substrates (minced meats, for example). Its close relative, Calliphora vicina, is a generalist, being able to utilize mixed substrates with equal growth rates. In the case of overcrowding, C. vomitoria competition results in compensation by increased speed of development, leading to smaller larvae and adults. This has complications in forensics because different parts of the body would grow at different rates. Additionally, it has been shown that the fly larvae are able to colonize even buried remains. Growth rates between surface and buried larvae grew at a similar increased pace. Usually, these flies lay their eggs around wounds on fresh corpses shortly after death. Right before the pupal stage, the fly larvae that leaves the carrion can burrow into the soil in order to pupate. Then, adult flies emerge. In decaying carcasses, it was found that Calliphoridae flies dominate, especially C. vomitoria. In both spring and fall, C. vomitoria is the primary species found on carcasses. In some cases, C. vomitoria shares carcasses with other calliphorid species such as Lucilia caesar.
Bluebottle fly adults feed on nectar, and they are pollinators of flowers. They are especially attracted to flowers that have strong odors, such as those that have adapted to smell like rotting meat. Plants pollinated by the fly include the skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus), American pawpaw (Asimina triloba), dead horse arum (Helicodiceros muscivorus), goldenrod and some species of the carrot family. These insects tend to fly in packs in order to detect possible food sources more efficiently. If one fly detects food, it disperses a pheromone, which will alert the others to the meal.
Calliphora vomitoria