Minimum and Maximum Development Rates of Some Forensically Important Calliphoridae (Diptera)

Abstract

Blow fly development rates are frequently used to estimate elapsed time since death in homicide investigations in the first few weeks after death. However, in order to make more precise estimates of time since death, accurate developmental data must be generated for all carrion species, and at temperatures that are comparable with those found at crime scenes. This paper presents developmental rates determined for five forensically important species in British Columbia, Phormia regina (Meigen), Phaenicia sericata (Meigen), Eucalliphora latifrons (Hough), Lucilia illustris (Meigen), and Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy, at several temperatures.