Title
Insect succession on buried carrion in two biogeoclimatic zones of British Columbia
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1999
Publication Title
Journal of Forensic Sciences
Volume
44
Issue
1
First Page
32
Last Page
43
DOI
10.1520/JFS14409J
Abstract
We established a database of insect succession on buried carrion in two biogeoclimatic zones of British Columbia over a 16-month period beginning June 1995. Pig (Sus scrofa L.) carcasses were buried shortly after death in the Coastal Western Hemlock and Sub-boreal Spruce biogeoclimatic zones of British Columbia. Buried pigs exhibited a distinct pattern of succession from that which occurred on above-ground carrion. The species composition and time of colonization for particular species differed between the two zones. Therefore ideally, a database of insect succession on buried carrion should be established for each major biogeoclimatic zone. We did not observe maggot masses on any of the buried carcasses; therefore, the presence of maggot masses may indicate a delayed burial. Soil temperature was a better indicator of internal buried carcass temperature (r2 = 0.92, p < 0.0001) than was ambient air temperature (r2 = 0.60, p < 0.0001); thus soil temperature should be used to determine developmental rates of insects for determination of the postmortem interval by a forensic entomologist.
Recommended Citation
VanLaerhoven, S. L. and Anderson, G. S., "Insect succession on buried carrion in two biogeoclimatic zones of British Columbia" (1999). Journal of Forensic Sciences, 44, 1, 32-43.
https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/biologypub/944