Natural populations of Boettcherisca (Sarcophaga) peregrina Robineau-Desvoidy (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) were maintained for 20 generations and reared either on unpolluted diet or on polluted diet containing copper at a median lethal concentration (LC₅₀) determined every five generations. This resulted in two reliable strains: the relative susceptible strain (S) and the copper-resistant strain (R). The metal accumulation, growth and development, reproduction, and antioxidant enzymes were analyzed in the two strains. The results showed that compared with the S strain, the R strain showed increased metal accumulation and fecundity of female adults. Regardless of whether larvae were fed on diet with or without Cu² , the R strain showed higher activity of superoxide dismutase and glutathione S-transferase than the S strain, although without statistical significance. Moreover, the activity of superoxide dismutase and glutathione S-transferase increased when B. peregrina larvae were exposed to Cu² at 100 µg/g but decreased when they were exposed to Cu² at 800 µg/g. Larval catalase activity in the R strain was higher than in the S strain when larvae were fed on diet with or without Cu² , although these differences were significant only at the 100 µg/g concentration. Moreover, the activity of catalase decreased when larvae were exposed to experimental Cu² . Beyond all expectations, larval glutathione reductase activity was not significantly different between the two strains but changed slightly when larvae were exposed to experimental Cu² . These results indicate that copper resistance in B. peregrina larvae is mediated by superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione S-transferase. These results also help in establishing a physiological link between antioxidase activity and the resistance level of B. peregrina to copper.