Sarcophaga crassipalpis
Sarcophaga crassipalpis is a species of flesh flies, which function as organs of balance.
Like other dipterans, S. crassipalpis reproduces utilizing complete metamorphosis, i.e. the life cycle consists of the following stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.
Most notably, S. crassipalpis will enter diapause under very specific environmental stimuli. Photoperiod exposure received by embryos in the uterus is one factor in initiating diapause. It is sensitive to specific environmental stimuli in its early larval stage and then enters diapause as a pupa. Sarcophaga crassipalpis enters an overwintering pupal diapause in response to cues of a short day-length received during late embryonic and early larval life. Diapause in S. crassipalpis is not a complete cessation of gene expression. It is a separate developmental pathway that is expressed by another set of genes. It lays its eggs in open flesh wounds, typically the wounds of livestock. Pesticides have been designed to interfere with the normal development, killing only larva.