Name: Yasmeen Mahmoud Mohamed Abdelrahman
Id: 20191425997
Under-supervision: Dr/ Tarek Tantawi
Forensic entomologists rely on certain insects that are typically found in corpses.
Blow flies, for example, can home on dead animals and lay eggs within minutes,
forensic entomologists use the various stages of insect growth to determine factors
such as time of death in homicide investigations. When a body is discovered more
than 72 hours (about 3 days) after death, details normally examined to establish
time of death such as body temperature, skin color, and degree of muscle rigidity,
have all plateaued. Blowflies, however, lay eggs within minutes of someone dying
and so investigators can use the growth timeline of blowfly maggots to find out
exactly when a person died. Though we use the term “blowfly” there are many
varied species with different growth charts and development timelines. Though
adults are easy to tell apart, the maggots can look quite similar. Part of a forensic
entomologist’s job is identifying which species the maggot belongs to and
knowing how temperature and environment affects that growth.
The lifecycle of a blowfly goes through several stages. They are:
1. Eggs Laid: Eggs are laid by a mature female blowfly in carcass holes or
open wounds such as ears, nose, eyes, mouth, and anus within minutes of
hours of death; eggs found in these areas because they are moist and warm.
The duration of this stage is about 8 hours. The size of egg is about 2mm
and white in color. This stage appears soon after death.
1. Eggs Hatch (Larvae): Eggs are 1-2 mm (about 0.08 in) in length and hatch
after 24-45 hours (about 2 days) then quickly grow to become first stage
larvae, otherwise known as maggots.
2. 1st Stage Maggots (Larvae): Maggots produce an enzyme that breaks down
protein, so they feed on semi-liquid bodily fluids as the body decomposes. At this
stage they grow and after several days, shed their exoskeleton. In this stage we can
see in the anterior region of the body black mouth hooks, they have a thin body
about 5mm in size and white in color with 1spiracle slite near anus. This stage
takes about 20 hours to melt. This stage appears after 1.8 days
3. 2nd Stage Maggots (Larvae): In the second maggot stage, they grow and
continue to feed off the decomposing body. This stage ends when they molt for a
second time and become third stage maggots. The larva black mouth now can be
seen from dorsal side, and there are 2 spiracle slits near to anus. The duration of
this stage is about 15-20 hours.
This stage can be seen after 2.5 days after death.
5. 3rd Stage Maggots (larvae): In the third stage of maggots, this is the final
stage of larvae, the black mouth hooks and the crop is not visible.
The larva covered in fats and there are 3 spiracle slits in the body
The duration of this stage is about 36-56 hours. This stage can be seen after 4-6
days from death
6. pre-pupa: in this stage larvae migrate away from the body to a dry area, the
size of larvae in this stage is about 9mm (about 0.35 in) the first appearance of this
stage is after 8-12 days after death; this stage remains for 86-180 hours. In this
stage larvae stop feeding, have an oval shape with full slits.
[Link]: Now pupae, they fall to ground and no longer feed or move. Their
exoskeleton hardens and turns from a light brown to a black color. The size of
pupa is about 9mm, this stage can be seen after 18-24 days from death. The
duration of this stage is about 6-12 days. The case which covers the pupa is filled
with air that will split open when the adult emerges.
[Link] Blowfly: The adult blow fly emerges from the exoskeleton and
can fly after only a few hours. A male blowfly can mate right away
while a female must feed on protein such as carcass or feces before
being able to lay her own eggs and thus the cycle continues. Adults can
be seen after 21-24 days.
And this photo is a summary of this life cycle
