Female blowflies lay their yellow or white eggs on carcases. Blowfly eggs typically hatch within 24 hours.
Blowfly larvae, called maggots, go through three maturation stages.
Mature blowfly larvae leave their food sources to pupate underneath the ground. The pupal phase usually lasts 8 to 10 days.
Adult blowflies emerge from the soil after 10 to 17 days. Adult females begin reproducing within a week.
Forensic scientists can often determine a time of death by examining the life cycle phases of blowflies living on the carcass. Adult females can lay thousands of eggs in her lifetime.