Day 13-15: 29 June-8 July 2009

Decomposition is progressing very slowly at this point. The pigs look very similar each time I sample. Most of the carcasses have a leathery surface, with activity mainly underneath each pig.





Beetles

Collected at farm: Carrion beetles (Necrophila americana and Necrodes surinamensis), rove beetles (Platydracus spp., Achenomorphus corticinus and Creophilus maxillosus), clown beetles (Hister spp.), hide beetles (Trox unistriatus and Dermestes pulcher), the small dung beetle (Onthophagus spp.), sap beetle (Omosita colon), and ground beetles of the family Carabidae.



Collected at CSU: The hairy rove beetle (Creophilus maxillosus), Red-legged ham beetle (Necrobia rufipes), the Black-legged ham beetle (Necrobia violacea), a wood-boring beetle (Xestobium rufovillosum), hide beetles (Dermestes pulcher) and Hister beetles.








Flies

Although there is little blowfly activity at this stage, the flies that emerged from pupa were collected if available. At CSU, all of the emerged flies were identified as Phormia regina. There were so many flies emerging that the lean-to and the cage were covered, as seen in the picture below.

Submitted by Krystal Hans, MS student, Cleveland State University, 25 August 2009.

Day 11: 27 June 2009

The carcasses are in the post decay stage of decomposition, but are becoming more leathery on the surface. Maggot activity is still present underneath the pigs in the soft tissues that remain. Beetles have been collected from the carcasses as well as the pitfall traps.

Beetles

Collected at farm: Carrion beetles (Necrophila americana and Oiceoptoma rugulosum), rove beetles (Platydracus spp. and Creophilus maxillosus), the Red-legged ham beetle (Necrobia rufipes), clown beetles (Hister spp.), hide beetles (Trox unistriatus) and ground beetles of the family Carabidae.

Collected at CSU: The hairy rove beetle Creophilus maxillosus, hide beetles (Dermestes pulcher), a scarab beetle (Sercia sericea) and Hister beetles.

Flies

Collected at CSU: Phormia regina and Lucilia sericata, the sheep blow fly.

More puparia are present all around the carcasses and in the pitfall traps.

Pig 4. Location: CSU. Most of the tissue has been consumed, but there are still maggots underneath and wandering off the carcass (Above). The leg with the abscess is no longer recognizable as most of the tissue is gone (Below).

Pig 6. Location: University Farm. The surface of the pig is very leathery and dry, but maggots of various sizes are present on and under the carcass.

Submitted by Krystal Hans, MS student, Cleveland State University, 14 August 2009.

Day 10: 25 June 2009

Although maggots in the third instar have moved off the carcass, there is still plenty of activity. A great deal of activity is underneath the carcasses and in the pitfall traps. There are few blowflies to collect, but beetles, ants and maggots are plentiful.

Beetles

Collected at the farm: Carrion beetles (Necrodes surinamensis and Oiceoptoma rugulosum), rove beetles (Platydracus spp. and Creophilus maxillosus), the redshouldered ham beetle (Necrobia ruficollis), the small dung beetle (Onthophagus spp.), clown beetles (Hister spp.), hide beetle (Trox unistriatus) and a ground beetle of the family Carabidae.

Collected at CSU: The hairy rove beetle Creophilus maxillosus and Hister beetles.

Postfeeding maggots migrate away from the body to find a safe place to form puparia. Two pupa can be seen in the picture above. The difference in color is due to variation in age among the puparia with red being the youngest.

As the maggots wander, they fall into the pitfall traps placed in each direction from the carcasses. At some sites, the pitfall traps were completely full of mature maggots, as pictured above.

Pig 5. Location: University Farm. Although the surface of the carcass is leathery and hard, the moist tissues underneath are still suitable for maggots.

Pig 4. Location: CSU. The number of maggots present on the carcass has increased as they actively consume the pig (Above). The abscess is quickly decomposed due to maggot activity (Below).

Submitted by Krystal Hans, MS student, Cleveland State University, 13 August 2009.

Day 9: 24 June 2009

The carcasses are decomposing and maggot activity is incredible. Of the maggots collected for rearing at CSU, most consist of Phormia regina, the black blowfly, but Cochliomyia macellaria, the secondary screwworm fly have also been reared from this area.

Pig 3. Location: CSU. The carcass is deflated and maggot masses are present underneath the carcass. The fluids of decomposition have stained the grass black beneath the carcass and is visible where the head was located.

Pig 4. Location: CSU. Large maggot masses are visible on the neck and underneath the carcasses (Above). The leg with the abscess is now occupied by feeding maggots, which have created 2 holes in the leg (Below).

Submitted by Krystal Hans, MS student, Cleveland State University, 13 August 2009.

Day 8: 23 June 2009

The carcasses have begun to deflate as maggots feed on various areas of the body. The pigs are looking greasy and leathery. Very few flies are present and the largest maggots have reached their postfeeding stage and are wandering off the carcass. Flies were collected with sweepnet if present. Beetles and maggots were collected from carcasses and pitfall traps.

Beetles

Collected at farm: Carrion beetles (Necrophila americana and Oiceoptoma novaboracense), rove beetles (Platydracus spp. and Creophilus maxillosus), the small dung beetle (Onthophagus spp.), clown beetles (Hister spp.), hide beetle (Trox unistriatus) and a ground beetle of the family Carabidae.

Collected at CSU: The hairy rove beetle Creophilus maxillosus, Hister beetles and a ground beetle of the family Carabidae.

Flies

Collected at farm: mostly Phormia regina and 1 Protophormia terraenovae.

Collected at CSU: Phormia regina and 1 Protophormia terraenovae.

Pig 4. Location: CSU. Blowfly activity and few maggot masses on carcass, but this carcass is not decomposing as quickly as the other pig at CSU and still remains mostly intact (Above). Blowflies are present on the abscess which is still swollen, but has opened and is full of maggots (Below).

Pig 5. Location: University Farm. Maggots have spread out over the carcass and are feeding in various areas (Above). A large maggot mass is present on the hind area of the pig (Below).

Submitted by Krystal Hans, MS student, Cleveland State University, 13 August 2009.

Day 7: 22 June 2009

The pigs are still bloated and the number of maggots has increased on the carcasses. Instead of being concentrated in a few areas, the maggots have moved across the body and are actively feeding on the entire carcass. Adult flies were collected with sweep nets while maggots and beetles were collected from the carcasses and the pitfall traps.

Beetles

Collected at farm: Carrion beetles (Necrophila americana and Necrodes surinamensis), rove beetles (Platydracus spp. and Creophilus maxillosus), the small dung beetle (Onthophagus spp.) ground beetles (Dicaelus politus) and clown beetles (Hister spp.).

Collected at CSU: The hairy rove beetle Creophilus maxillosus.

Flies

Collected at farm: mostly Phormia regina and 1 Calliphora vicina.

Pig 1. Location: University Farm. The face has decomposed quickly and some of the bones can now be seen (Above). The maggots have moved across the carcass and are feeding on the tissues (Below).

Pig 6. Location: University Farm. There are maggots on the face, legs and spilling out from underneath. The thick white areas on the belly, legs and sides of the carcass are maggots.

Pig 3. Location: CSU. The carcass is still very bloated and skin is sloughing off, especially on the legs. There is a large maggot mass on the head and blowfly activity on the pig.

Pig 4. Location: CSU. More blowflies are present on the carcass, but maggots are mostly active on the face (Above). The pig is very bloated, including the abscess on the hind leg. The abscess is getting some attention from blowflies looking to deposit eggs on the swollen mass (Below).

Submitted by Krystal Hans, MS student, Cleveland State University, 23 July 2009.

Day 6: 21 June 2009

The pig carcasses are in the bloated stage of decomposition. The smell is very pungent and the maggot activity is increasing. As maggots mature, they reach a post-feeding stage in which they will move off of a carcass in search of a dry, cool place where they can burrow in the ground and pupate. After about 1 week, adult flies will emerge from the puparium. In order to capture maggots or beetles dispersing from the carcass, pitfall traps were placed around each pig. These traps consist of a container buried in the ground 30 cm from the carcass in each direction (N, S, E, and W) and alcohol poured in the preserve any specimens that become trapped.

Adult flies were collected from each pig as well as maggots for preservation and rearing. Beetles and ants were sampled if available.

Pig 1. Location: University Farm. Pig is very bloated; skin is sloughing off in some areas (Above). Large maggots are feeding on the face, exposing bone and teeth (Middle). Very large maggot mass on the hind leg and underside of the pig (Below).

Pig 4. Location: CSU. Blowfly activity and large egg mass on face and near hind leg (Above). Abscess on leg is bloated and discolored (Middle). Ants crawl across the eggs on the face; maggots feed in the mouth (Below).

Pig 5. Location: University Farm. Blowfly activity on the carcass; skin is sloughing off the bloated pig (Above). Close up of the belly showing the activity (Below).

Submitted by Krystal Hans, MS student, Cleveland State University, 7 July 2009.

Day 5: 20 June 2009

Due to heavy rain this morning there was little activity by adult blow flies while collecting, but the size of the egg masses on the carcasses continue to grow, indicating that blow flies are still present.

At the farm large maggots were collected from each pig for preservation and for rearing to the adult stage for identification. Carrion beetles were collected from pigs 5 and 6, the pigs moved from CSU to the farm. Due to the rain no adult flies were sampled.

At CSU the pigs are bloated and a few adult blow flies are inspecting the carcasses. Although no beetles were collected, the largest maggots present were collected from each pig for preservation and rearing. Adult flies were captured with a sweep net from one of the pigs.

Pig 1. Location: University Farm. Eggs on the hind legs, rear and neck regions of the carcass (Above). Maggots actively feeding on the face, which is decomposing quickly (Below).

Pig 5. Location: University Farm. Most egg masses are on the head and neck and appear as thick white clumps on the carcass (Above). Close up of a large egg mass on the cheek with adult blow fly; maggots feeding in mouth and nose (Below).

Pig 3. Location: CSU. Maggots feeding on facial tissue.

Pig 4. Location: CSU. Ants are present on the eyeball and small egg masses have been laid on the face (Above). Small maggots were collected from the mouth. A blow fly is examining the abscess on the hind leg, which continues to swell (Below).

Submitted by Krystal Hans, MS student, Cleveland State University, 6 July 2009.

Day 4: 19 June 2009

As decomposition progresses, the number of blow flies present on the carcasses increases. The pigs are becoming more bloated and the number of both eggs and maggots is increasing. Small maggots were collected from each carcass for preservation and for rearing.

Beetles

Collected at farm: Carrion beetles Oiceoptoma noveboracense and Necrophila americana; rove beetles Platydracus spp.

Flies

Collected at farm: Mostly Phormia regina, the black blow fly and a few Lucilia illustris and Lucilia coeruleiviridis, common green bottle flies. These species are often the first to arrive on carrion.

Collected at CSU: Mostly P. regina and a few L. coeruleiviridis.

Most of the pig carcasses are covered with blow flies, evident by their numbers on the cage and lean-to.

Pig 1. Location: University Farm. Blow flies have deposited even more egg masses on the legs, neck and face (Above) and maggots are actively feeding, especially in and around the mouth (Below).

Pig 6. Location: University Farm. More blow flies are present on the carcass, depositing eggs on the head and in the mouth. Carcass is becoming more bloated due to bacterial gasses (Above). Egg masses on the head and neck and blow flies filling the mouth and nose (Below).

Pig 3. Location: CSU. Carcass has many blow flies, especially near the natural body openings of the mouth, eyes and nose.

Pig 4. Location: CSU. Although this pig is placed about 50 meters from the other pig in the urban location, there are very few blow flies and little insect activity other than the ants present on the eyeball. The abscess on the hind leg continues to become bloated.

Submitted by Krystal Hans, MS student, Cleveland State University, 4 July 2009.

Day 3: 18 June 2009

The pig carcasses from the urban site (CSU) have been moved to the rural site at University Farm. They were placed 50 meters apart and were enclosed with cages and a lean-to. Decomposition and insect activity will be monitored daily to investigate the presence of an invertebrate signature associated with the carcasses.

Blow flies have continued to lay eggs on the pigs, mostly on the soft tissues on the head or in the folds of skin on the body. These areas provide protection from the environment and also ensure that the eggs will remain moist.

Some eggs have matured into maggots and are feeding on the soft tissues. This seems to be more apparent in the rural site, especially for the pigs originally placed at the farm (Pigs 1 and 2). The moved carcasses (Pigs 5 and 6) show only a few egg masses which have yet to mature. In the city however, the ants have carried away many of the eggs from the body, leaving only a few maggots in the mouth of pig 3. Pig 4, the carcass with the abscess on its leg, has many ants covering the eyeball and in the mouth. Due to the ant activity, there are few eggs, none of which have matured into maggots.

Pig 1. Location: University Farm. More egg masses on the hind legs (Above). Eggs have matured into maggots and are consuming the eyes, mouth and nose of the pig (Below).

Pig 4. Location: CSU. Abscess on hind leg is bloated. Ants cover the eyeball and mouth, removing eggs laid by blow flies.

Pig 6. Location: University Farm, moved from CSU. Egg masses on cheek and in between eyes, but haven't matured into maggots. Ants are present on the face.

Maggots were collected from all 6 carcasses for preservation and for rearing to the adult stage. Ants were also sampled if present.

Submitted by Krystal Hans, MS student, Cleveland State University, 2 July 2009

Day 2: 17 June 2009

The pigs were placed 24 hours ago and already there has been blow fly activity. Blow flies are often the first to colonize a corpse due to their excellent sense of smell, laying their eggs on the soft tissues usually around natural body openings or open wounds. Two of the pigs at CSU will be moved to University Farm this afternoon.

Pig 1. Location: University Farm. Eggs have been deposited on the hind leg.

Pig 2. Location: University Farm. Blow flies have deposited eggs in eyes and mouth.

While the pigs at the farm have had blow fly activity, the pigs at CSU have a large number of ants swarming on the carcasses as well. The ants are scavengers, feeding on fly eggs and maggots.

Pig 4. Location: CSU. Large number of ants on the eyeball, collecting blow fly eggs from the eye and mouth of the pig (Above). The abscess on the hind leg is more swollen (Below).

Pig 6. Location: CSU, to be moved to farm. This pig has a few eggs on its nose and in the mouth (not visible in this picture).

Eggs were collected from all 6 pig carcasses. 25 of the eggs will be placed in alcohol and preserved and 25 other eggs will be placed in a container to rear to the adult stage for identification.

Submitted by Krystal Hans, MS student, Cleveland State University, 1 July 2009.