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How Do Blowflies Affect The Body?

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Since different insects have different preferences to the age of the flesh certain insects are present at certain times. The blowfly is the first insect to arrive and can be there almost straight after death as they like to feed off fresh flesh, this is also preferred by flesh flies and ants. While the blowflies are present at the body they will also lay their eggs in natural orifices and wounds, this is so the eggs have liquid and moisture to help increase the chance of survival once they are hatched. (Fraser 2015, Per Comm). Many other insects begin to arrive as days pass from carrion beetles and cockroaches to fruit flies and ground beetles who prefer the older remains normally at least twenty days old. However many factors can affect the insects and prevent them from reaching the …show more content…

Burial of a body prevents many insects from getting to the body therefore slowing down decomposition. The only bugs known to reach a body once it has been buried are blowfly larvae, flesh fly larvae and coffin flies. (Fraser 2015, Per Comm). Environmental factors can also affect the way insects attend a body. During winter most insect activity is reduced. Sometimes blowflies may not be seen at a body until spring time therefore during colder weather bodies decompose more slowly than during the warmer months. (Fraser 2015, Per Comm). It is important to know the temperature of the crime scene so an accurate time of death can be achieved based on the growth of the insects. If it is cold the insects are more likely to remain smaller for a longer period of time than if

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