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Phorid Flies

To the naked eye, phorid flies resemble common fruit flies in appearance, with bodies measuring less than one millimeter in length. Phorid flies are often called "humpbacked flies".  They are characterized by their humped thoraxes. Body coloration ranges from black to brown to yellow. They are found all over the world, but favor warm, tropical regions. Although they are commonly mistaken for gnats and fruit flies, phorid flies have more in common with filth flies, such as the common housefly.

The phorid fly is also known regionally as the scuttle and coffin fly because it favors decaying, moist organic material as both a source of food and a prime site for laying eggs. They are also fond of decaying flesh and are known to favor dead animals over rotting vegetable matter. Phorid flies are capable of creating sustainable communities in coffins and are therefore of interest to the forensic community, which is discovering new evidence examining coffin flies. Phorid flies are also under examination as possible fire ant controllers in the South.

Like most flies, the phorid fly undergoes a complete four-phase life cycle including egg, larval, pupal and adult stages. Depending on temperatures and the hospitality of the environment, the phorid fly spends between 14 and 37 days in its larval and pupal forms.