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A maggot is the larva of a fly (order Fly); it is applied in particular to the larvae of Brachycera flies, such as Housefly, Piophilidae, Hoverfly, and Calliphoridae, rather than larvae of the Nematocera, such as and Tipuloidea.
Maggot-like fly larvae are of significance in ecology and medicine; among other roles, various species are prominent in recycling carrion and garbage, attacking Tephritidae and Piophilidae, spreading microbial infections, and causing myiasis. Maggots are also particularly important in forensic entomology because their development can help determine the time of death, particularly maggots in the Calliphoridae family. (2025). 9780521019576, Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521019576
Artificial maggots for fishing, either in natural or fluorescent colors, have been developed and are used for trout, panfish, or salmon species.
In controlled and sterile settings overseen by medical practitioners, maggot therapy introduces live, maggots into non-healing skin or soft wounds of a human or animal. They feed on the dead or Necrosis tissue, leaving sound tissue largely unharmed. Studies have also shown that maggots kill bacteria. Three midgut lysozymes of L. sericata have antibacterial effects in maggot debridement therapy. The study demonstrated that the majority of gram-positive bacteria were destroyed in vivo within the particular section of the L. sericata midgut where lysozymes are produced. During the passage through the intestine of the maggots, the ability of bacteria to survive drastically decreased, implying the antibacterial action of the three midgut lysozymes. In 2005 maggot therapy was being used in about 1,300 medical centers.
Apprehension from healthcare workers has inhibited acceptance, but a supplier of maggots said in 2022 that she had noticed significantly more acceptance over the four years she had worked in the field. Acceptance among patients is high.
Maggots are useful as well in entomotoxicology, in determining the presence of drugs in a corpse's system. Maggots bioaccumulate xenobiotics (substances, drugs, metals, etc.) from tissue and bone, therefore allowing entomologists to determine if xenobiotics, most commonly drugs, were present in the body before death. This is useful in concluding a cause of death in many different cases including overdoses and poisonings. It also helps in determining manner of death including suicide or homicides. Maggots are able to bioaccumulate substances from fresh corpses, as well as fully decomposed skeletonized bodies. Data and resources on entomotoxicology are sparse as it is a relatively new field of study. The knowledge of how the drug or substance effects the development of maggots is necessary as some drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine are proven to accelerate the development of larvae, whereas opiates are shown to decelerate said rate.
Many of the families of flies with "maggot" larvae can reach very high population densities through exponential growth, but in natural conditions without human interference, predators, parasites, and food availability keep the population under control. Sealing waste and using a garbage disposal or freezing rotting leftovers until waste collection day helps prevent infestation. Introducing an environmental control, such as Histeridae, can also help reduce maggot populations.
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