The larva is about 8 mm long and has a remarkable jumping ability. The body of the adult fly is black, blue-black or bronze, with touches of yellow on the head, antennae, and legs. The wings are iridescent. A detritivorous species, it feeds on decaying material, at the expense of dried or processed meat (raw hams, bacon and salted beef), fish, including smoked fish, and mature cheeses (generally on products with a high protein content).