Abstract
The numbers, sex and reproductive status of adult Lucilia cuprina coming to merino sheep before and after death were monitored by hand‐netting the approaching flies. Relatively few females were attracted to live sheep and nearly all were gravid. Males were not attracted to live sheep. On the day of death, the carcass attracted a greater number of females, 97% of which were gravid. On the day after death, still greater numbers of females were attracted and all stages of ovarian development were represented. Males began to appear in quantity only on the day following the death of the sheep.