Cochliomyia hominivorax

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/cochliomyia-hominivorax

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How big is Cochliomyia hominivorax?Approximately 10-15 mm in length, metallic blue-green coloration
2. What is the scientific name?Cochliomyia hominivorax
3. What is the larval diet?Obligate parasite feeding on living tissue of warm-blooded animals, causing myiasis
4. What is a New World screwworm fly?It is a small, metallic blue-green fly about 10-15 mm long. It lays eggs on wounds of warm-blooded animals, and its larvae eat living flesh.
5. How do screwworm larvae hurt animals?The larvae hatch within a day and start eating living tissue. They make big sores, can cause infections, and sometimes lead to serious illness or death.

Obligate Parasite: An organism that cannot survive without a host; it is entirely dependent on the host for survival and reproduction.
Myiasis: The infestation of live vertebrate animal tissue by fly larvae (maggots), leading to tissue destruction and disease.
Sterile Insect Technique (SIT): A method of biological pest control where large numbers of sterilized insects are released into the wild to mate with wild populations, thereby reducing reproduction and ultimately leading to population decline.
Endemic: Regularly found among particular people or in a certain area.