Calliphora loewi is part of the family Calliphoridae, bottle flies and blowflies, and in the genus Calliphora, blue bottle flies. The genus can be deceiving since C. loewi is not blue. Though this species is rare, it can play an important part in forensic entomology, spreading disease, and decomposing carrion. The life cycle of C. loewi is similar to the life cycle of the genus Calliphora. Since this species is rare there has not been very much research done with this species. Description Günther Enderlein, a German entomologist, first described Calliphora loewi in 1903. Calliphora loewi ranges in length from 6–14 mm. C. loewi is a rare species that can be confused with C. terraenovae because some species have a similar reddish genal groove. The head is typically a black color with the exception of the lower facial edge. The posterior of the head is concave with 3 to 5 rows of black setae, centrally with pale hairs. The frontal area of the males head is narrower than the females. The cerci in the males are long and narrow. Males also have bordering frontal orbital plates, whereas the females have frontal vita about three times the width of the frontal orbital plates. The females have very large antennae compared to normal sized antennae in males. Food source The maggots have hook-like mouth parts that tear apart the tissues where they live. The adults have sponge-like mouth parts in which they will first coat their food in digestive enzymes then suck up the matter. C. loewi primarily feed on dead animals but can be occasionally found on vegetation. Distribution Calliphora loewi is a very rare species but can be found in all parts of the world. C. loewi is widespread in Fennoscandia and Denmark and can be found limited in numbers in other parts of northern and central Europe. Specimens have been found as far east as Mongolia and Japan. The only recorded findings of the species in North America were in Alaska and Canada. C. loewi is also thought to avoid human settlements. Life cycle The life cycle of C. loewi has six stages: the egg, three larval stages (instars), pupae, and adult fly. The adults will lay their eggs on suitable habitats, usually carrion. Larvae will hatch within 6–48 hours after eggs have been deposited. They shed their skins three times during their larval stage. The time it takes