Solenopsis invicta x Richteri necrophagous Behavior Causes Post-mortem Lesions in Pigs Which Serve as Oviposition Sites for Diptera
ORCID
Goddard: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2617-7141
MSU Affiliation
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology
Creation Date
2026-09-30
Abstract
Outdoor decaying corpses immediately attract Calliphoridae and Sarcophagidae flies. However, the invasive red and black imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta and richteri) is also attracted to carrion with a reportedly predatory behavior. We documented outdoor decomposition in piglets exposed and unexposed to fire ants. We observed early and extensive fire ant colonization with an intense necrophagous behavior. The ant-inflicted post-mortem skin lesions and flesh removal areas became blow fly oviposition sites. This work documents a previously unreported vigorous fire ant necrophagous behavior on carrion that creates wounds unrelated to the cause of death which could potentially affect post-mortem interval estimates.
Keywords
forensic science, forensic entomology, fire ants, necrophagous, predatory, post-mortem interval, decomposition, blow flies
Publication Date
3-4-2020
Publication Title
Forensic Science International: Reports
Publisher
Elsevier
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Rights
© 2020 The Author(s)
Recommended Citation
Meyer, F., Monroe, M. D., Williams, H. N., & Goddard, J. (2020). Solenopsis invicta x richteri (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) necrophagous behavior causes post-mortem lesions in pigs which serve as oviposition sites for Diptera. Forensic Science International: Reports, 2, 100067. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsir.2020.100067
