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It is a well know fact that dead animal flesh is a
haven for all manner of insects, notably flies, which feed and lay their eggs on
the body.
It follows that an examination of the remains, and the identification of the
maggots found, may be useful in estimating the time of death. If the life cycle
of the insect is known it is possible to ascertain the stage reached in its
development and establish the time which has passed since the laying of the
eggs. This is properly the province of the entomologist whose expert opinion may
be sort by the pathologist.
The three maggots usually encountered on decaying flash are from the common blue
bottle, the green bottle and the common house fly: |
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The female lays about 150 eggs,
which hatch in between eight and fourteen hours, the first larval stage lasting
thirty-six hours. Second instar, one to two days, third instar, three to fours
days depending on conditions (temperature, moisture). Pupal stage generally
seven days, again depending upon conditions - warm temperature will hasten the
process. As with Calliphora the full grown larvae leave the food at night and
pupate beneath the soil.
* Instar is simply the name given to the stages of growth in the life cycle
between two successive sheddings of the outer skins of the growing larvae. |
The Common Blue Bottle (Calliphora Erythrocephalus)