Uses for Maggots

Maggots are the larvae stage of various fly species. Flies lay eggs on meat or some other food supply, and after one day, these eggs hatch into larvae which feed for five to seven days. They then reach a non-feeding pupae stage which lasts for two weeks. After the pupae stage, they become adult flies that start laying eggs in about five days. Although maggots can transmit disease, they also have several beneficial uses.

Medical Treatment

• Maggots have been used to treat wounds for many years. (See Reference 3) Although their use was popular in the 1930s and 1940s, maggot therapy declined after the development of antibiotics. Maggot therapy is once again being used, especially when other methods of wound care have not worked. Maggots eat only dead tissue, leaving healthy tissue intact while also producing an anti-microbial chemical that helps clean the area. A dressing containing fly larvae is placed on the wound. It is then covered with gauze and kept on for two to three days. When the dressing is removed, the maggots are up to 10 times their original size and can easily be removed. Since there are particular challenges treating wounds in diabetic patients, maggot therapy is especially helpful for their treatment.

Fishing Bait

• Maggots can be used as bait for a variety of fish.

  There are several different kinds of maggots that can be used to catch fish. White maggots are the large larvae of the blue bottle fly. Keeping them in the refrigerator will slow the aging process, allowing them to be kept for 10 to 15 days. Use white maggots with a small hook pushed through the beard of the maggot. The smaller pinkies are the larvae of the green bottle fly. Their small size makes them hard to hook, so they are primarily used as loose feed. Squats are the small larvae of the housefly. Because of their small size and slow movements in the water, they are usually used as either loose feed or fish holding bait. Casters are maggots that have reached the chrysalis stage. Young casters sink slowly in the water and older casters float. They make a good hook bait.

Forensic Science

• Police officers and forensic scientists can use maggots to help make a toxicological assessment of the victim. Flies arrive within minutes of death and lay eggs that hatch into maggots the next day. The maggots then feed on the body, consuming any toxin that the victim may have consumed. By studying the toxin content of the maggots, forensic scientists can determine what toxins may be in the body. This can be beneficial in places where decomposition happens very quickly.