ABSTRACT
In the first few hours after death, a forensic pathologist can use the condition of the body (e.g., rigor mortis) to estimate the elapsed time since death. However, about 24–48 hours after death, most of these biological changes are over and are of little value in estimating the postmortem interval (PMI). Certain species of insect depend on carrion or dead animal material to survive. Such insects are therefore very adept at locating a dead animal. Although, for the most part, such carrion insects survive on dead wildlife, humans are also animals, and from an insect’s point of view a dead human is no different from a dead bear or a dead crow. The fly eggs hatch into delicate first-instar or first-stage maggots, which feed on liquid protein. After a brief period, primarily dependent on temperature and species, the first-instar larvae will molt to the second instar, shedding the first-instar larval cuticle and mouthparts.
