The upper surfaces of the body are a shiny metallic bluish-green. The underside of the abdomen is dark blue. Their legs are bright reddish-brown or orange. The antennae are reddish–brown with a dark brown or black club at the tip.
Lifecycle
Females lay up to 30 eggs per day in cracks or crevices of cured fish. The eggs take between four and six days to hatch.
The larvae will grow for 30 to 140 days, become less active and look for a dark place to pupate.
The pupal stage varies between 6 and 21 days.
An adult will mate soon after emerging from its pupal stage and can live for up to 14 months.
Habits
The adults fly and can therefore easily disperse to new sources of food.
They are destructive in both the larval and adult stages, although the larval stage is the most destructive.
They are also cannibalistic, preying on their own eggs and pupae.