Muscina flies commonly breed in manure and defecate on food, which has been linked to the spread of some disease and illnesses.

[4][5] The occurrence of Muscina larvae on dead bodies has led to their regular use in forensic investigations, as they may be used to estimate the time of death.

[7] Muscina species are characterized by a retractable proboscis, sponging or sucking mouthparts, and a pale tip on the scutellum.

[8][4] The species M. stabulans and M. levida are larger than the housefly, and have moderately curved fourth veins with the latter also having a black palpi.

M. pascuorum flies have a red palpi, a strongly curved fourth vein that ends in or before the wing tip, and are generally larger than M.

Through the use of blood vessels inside the wings, the fly is able to expand to full width and length and complete its life cycle.

The fecal material houses a vast number of pathogenic bacteria, viruses, protozoan and other disease-causing agents.

[16] Muscina flies are attracted to decaying organic matter, and are commonly found on corpses, urine, and feces.

The presence of Muscina larvae in diapers and on genitalia can indicate a timeline for the period of neglect in infant or elderly death cases.

[17] Presence of the false stable fly larvae on buried bodies enables investigators to estimate the time of death.

In these cases, the fly lays its eggs on top of the soil, and the hatching larvae will then burrow and invade the corpse.

A nine-year-old girl from Minnesota was reported with a lump on her wrist that was reddened and elevated, but showed no signs of any external openings or of containing any pus inside.

A twenty-year-old Indian man experienced abdominal discomfort, bloated abdomen, and intestinal hurrying after meals.

[12] In certain parts of the world where sheep production is important, ovine myiasis by certain dipteran species is a major concern.

Muscina stabulans was found to be an important fly in the determination of post-mortem intervals (PMI) in the Rio Grande do Sul state in southern Brazil.

M. stabulans show up during the adipocere-like stage of decomposition whereby the carcass loses its natural shape due to hydrolysis of the fatty tissue.

Moreover, M. stabulans appearance on bodies in large numbers during the autumn and winter months is useful in narrowing down time of death.