Which family is commonly associated with metallic blue or green coloration and is used in maggot therapy and forensic CSI?

• A. Hippoboscidae
• B. Calliphoridae
• C. Tachinidae
• D. Trichoptera

Answer: (B)

Metallic blue or green coloration is a hallmark of blow flies, the Calliphoridae. This shiny, iridescent look comes from the structure of their exoskeletons and helps identify them in the field. These flies are well known in two applied areas: maggot therapy, where the larvae of Calliphoridae (notably Lucilia sericata) are used to debride and cleanse chronic wounds, and forensic science, where the predictable timing of their sequence of colonizing a corpse helps estimate the postmortem interval. The other options don’t fit these traits: Hippoboscidae are bloodsucking louse flies without the distinctive metallic sheen and aren’t used in maggot therapy or forensics; Tachinidae are mostly parasitoids with dull bodies and lack the same forensic and medical associations; Trichoptera are caddisflies, an entirely different order and not known for these uses.