LiveSless Ordinary is the podcast from the BBC World Service bringing you extraordinary

personal stories from around the globe.

Search for LiveSless Ordinary wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

This is Discovery from the BBC World Service and I'm exploring two stories each week of

how insects have transformed our world.

As every good entipology should have on their desk, I have jars of maggots and all sorts

of different types.

For one specifically, it's jar of maggots from the family california day, blue flies.

Now you'll recognize many of the adults you'll see them flying around.

They're the giant blue bottles, the green bottles, really beautiful but I guess many of the

people don't like them because of their feeding habits.

They are some of the very first insects to be attracted to and colonised decomposing remains.

Over 80% of animals described in our planet are insects and yet their appearances can

seem as alien or as strange as many amythic beasts.

For some of us who study these wondrous species, both now and in the past, have discovered

a treasure trove of remarkable insights.

I'm Erica McAllister and in this series I'm taking a peek into some of the

entomological pioneers whose groundbreaking observations and experiments have led to some

truly novel developments.

We have a funny relationship with blue flies.

Many people dislike them for their habits whilst others are grateful for their presence.

They often live and breed in and around decaying flesh and due to these life choices,

...