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.