FORENSIC ENTOMOLOGY: TIME DISPARITY IN EGG LAYING AND HATCHING ON CARRIONS OCCASIONED BY DIFFERENT DEATH AGENTS

Abstract

Thirty-six 36 white pigs (Sus scrofa Linnaeus) of mean weight 22.3±1.0 kg killed from three different death agents (slaughtered, oxygen deprived and monocrotophos poison) were monitored for carrion insects, egg laying and hatching time in Benin City, Nigeria. The consistently sampled carrion insects at the egg laying and hatching stages were Lucilia sericata and Chrysomya rufifacies (blowflies) in all seasons. The results revealed that, the factor of death accounted for the difference in both egg laying and hatching time by the visiting carrion insects with lowest times recorded by carrions killed by slaughtering while monocrotophos poisoned carrions scaled highest in both egg laying and hatching time in all considered seasons. The observed oviposition time ranged from 2-7 hours for both wet and dry seasons while the egg hatching time ranged from 1-14 days depending on factor of death. Interestingly, there were significant differences (p<0.05) in the mean maggot sampled on account of killing agent with monocrotophos poisoned carrions recording no maggot mass. The result is an indication that, the factor of death determines egg laying and hatching time, hence the application of entomological data should take into account, the factors involved in time disparity in egg laying and hatching in carrion insects