engleski

A preliminary study of forensic entomology in Croatia

In this project, the first forensic entomological research in Croatia, the main goal was to determine which necrophilic insect species infest the body of a dead piglet in Croatian environmental conditions. Piglet was placed in a cage in thick forest of Salix and Populus on the bank of river Sava, from 18th of July till 14th of August 2007. Insect fauna was sampled from the body of a piglet every day, when their life cycles were monitored. Also, daily temperature and humidity were recorded. In total three necrophilic insect species were collected, two dipterans and one beetle: a blowfly Lucilia sericata L. (Diptera: Calliophoridae), a flesh fly Sarcophaga carnaria L. (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), and a burying beetle Nicrophorus vespillo L. (Coleoptera: Silphidae). The first emerging blowflies were collected on the tenth day of the experiment. This rapid development was unexpected and we propose that it was a result of high summer temperature and humidity combined with specific floral environment. Completion of life cycle for S. carnaria was not recorded. Burying beetle has not laid any eggs, it was collected on the second day of experiment and there is no record of beetle activity in later stages of decomposition. This happened due to large number of fly maggots which were feeding on the carcass and left no food resource which beetles could use for their development. In addition to the necrophilic species, the predatory wasp Vespula germanica F.(Hymenoptera: Vespidae) was also collected during the experiment, but its life cycle was of little interest as this species is not a part of the decomposition process.

forensics; entomology; Croatia

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