Insects Associated with Exposed Human Corpses in Auckland, New Zealand

Abstract

The association of various insect species with dead bodies is being recognized increasingly as a potentially useful source of forensic information. This study was made to determine which species of insects developed on corpses in Auckland, New Zealand (latitude 37° South). The study was extended to determine whether certain species were consistently associated with the time elapsed after death, and, if so, to determine their uses and limitations as forensic indicators.