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.