A preliminary study of forensic entomology in Medellin, Colombia

This is the first report of an ongoing study of insect succession on carrio n carried out in Medellin, Colombia, using pigs (Sus scrofa) as a model to determine the insect sequence over 207 days. During this period, 2314 insec ts belonging to the following orders and families were collected: Diptera: Calliphoridae, Muscidae, Piophilidae, Sarcophagidae, Syrphidae, Otitidae; H ymenoptera: Apidae, Formicidae, Halictidae, Mutilidae, Vespidae; Coleoptera : Staphylinidae, Histeridae, Carabidae, Scarabaeidae, Silphidae, Dermestida e, Cleridae, Nitidulidae; Dermaptera: Forficulidae; Hemyptera: Gelastocorid ae, Coreidae; Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae. Five decomposition stages were observed (fresh, bloated, active decay, adva nced decay, and dry remains) and four insect ecological categories (necroph agous, predators, omnivorous, and incidental). During the fresh stage, the first insects that appeared were flies of the families Sarcophagidae and Mu scidae and specimens of Formicidae (Hymenoptera). During the bloated period , species of Calliphoridae (Diptera) were predominant and the first to ovip osit. During the third and fourth stages (active decay and advanced decay), the most abundant families were Calliphoridae and Muscidae, although Staph ilinidae (Coleoptera) also stood out. During the last stage (dry remains), the dominant family was Formicidae, (Hymenoptera) followed by Dermestidae ( Coleoptera) with a large number of immature insects. (C) 2001 Elsevier Scie nce Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.