NCJ Number
198017
Journal
Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal Volume: 35 Issue: 3 Dated: September 2002 Pages: 123-143
Date Published
September 2002
Length
21 pages
Annotation
This study produced some baseline data on carrion insects for rural and urban areas of Nova Scotia regarding their colonizing patterns on pig carcasses that were under-exposed, shaded, and buried.
Abstract
The study was conducted at a rural site from July 19-October 21, 1998, and repeated in an urban environment from July 29-September 3, 1999. To be certain the pig carcasses had no living carrion insects on them, they were frozen prior to use. Two days before placement in the field, the frozen pigs were thawed indoors in plastic bags to prevent exposure to flies. Sweep-net samples and pitfall trap collections were made 1 week prior to placing the pigs at the sites. Daily sweep-net samples and manual collections of immature insects and beetles were made from each carcass for 14 days, by which time most of maggots had migrated from them. Weekly collections were made for approximately five more weeks. Daily manual collections of maggots were reared on liver placed on paper towels over hardwood chips in a plastic beer cup. The top of the cup was covered with a paper towel secured with a rubber band. The temperature was recorded during the rearing period, and the cups were checked daily for fly emergence. Emerged adults were killed by freezing and pinned for species identification where possible. The sweep-net collections and a reference sample of insects collected manually from each pig were preserved in 80-percent ethanol each collection day. The study focused on the insects present on the pig carcasses until the end of the active decay phase when all the flesh had been removed. This article reports on the types and amounts of insects found on the various carcasses. 12 figures, 3 tables, and 33 references