NCJ Number
234221
Journal
Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal Volume: 43 Issue: 4 Dated: December 2010 Pages: 181-190
Date Published
December 2010
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This article discusses how blow fly species (Calliphoridae) are commonly used in forensic investigations.
Abstract
Blow fly species (Calliphoridae) are commonly used in forensic investigations. Adults are often sampled at crime scenes and during species surveys using sticky traps. Trap catches are species specific and can vary due to trap design. The authors tested sticky traps set near a fresh pig carcass to indentify catch differences of blow fly species based on trap colour (black, white, yellow, green, blue, and red), trap height (31, 61, 91 cm), and trap angle (horizontal, 45 degrees , vertical). Phormia regina were most abundant on white traps placed low and slanted. Lucilia sericata catches were largely on yellow traps, but unaffected by trap angle or height. Calliphora vicina and Lucilia illustris catches were similar across all traps, although Calliphora vicina tended to be caught more often on blue vertical traps. In general, vertical or slanted traps at low and middle height caught the most forensically relevant species. From these results, two types of sticky traps should be used at crime scenes or for species surveys: white, slanted traps set at 31 to 51 cm high targeting Lucilia species and P. regina; and vertical blue or black traps 60 cm high to target Calliphora species, such as C. vicina. (Published Abstract)