Table 1 Summary of results with date of sampling, fauna collected, site of collection of insects, temperature, and RH of air
Date of sampling | State of body | Fauna collected | Stage of insect/site of collection | Temperature (air) | Relative humidity RH (Air) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
9 February 2018 | Fresh | Nil | ........a | 24 oC | 42% | |
16 February 2018 (first sampling) | Fresh | (a) Megaselia scalaris (b)Onthophagous quadridentatus (c) Cydnus sp. (fauna found inside). | (a) Adults running over the top of the grave and present inside the grave on the back of the carcass. (b) Adults, not present on the body, but into the soil of grave. (c) Adults, not present on the body, but into the soil of grave. | 25 oC | 48% | |
23 February 2018 (2nd sampling) | Bloated | (d) Megaselia scalaris (e) Chrysomyia megacephala and Calliphora vicina (f) Saprinus quadriguttatus (g) Cydnus sp. were collected inside the grave | (d) Adults found running at the surface of the grave. (e) Adults collected when the grave was opened and body was exposed. (f) Adults, not present on the body, but into the soil of grave. (g) Adults, not present on the body, but into the soil of grave. | 30 oC | 61% | |
02 March 2018 (3rd sampling) | Active decay | (h) Maggots collected and reared into the laboratory. (i) Dorylus sp. collected. (j) Saprinus quadriguttatus and Saprinus splendens collected. | (h) 2nd instars of Hydrotaea capensis and 3rd instars of Synthesiomyia nudiseta collected from the deflated abdominal region. (i) Colony of ants in numbers were present inside the grave on the animal carcass where maggots were present. (j) Adults were present inside the grave. | 31 oC | 34% | |
09 March 2018 (4th sampling) | Post decay | Larvae were still observed with cocoons | Cocoon of Synthesiomyia nudiseta in the soil of grave and larvae of Hydrotaea were collected. | 31 oC | 27% | |
16 March 2018 (5th sampling) | Dry | Very few maggots and more of cocoons were observed and collected. | Larvae of H. capensis and coccons of S.nudiseta and H. capensis collected from the soil inside the grave. | 30 oC | 62% | |
23 March 2018 (6th sampling) | Dry | Live and empty puparia were observed. | Live puparia of H. capensis and empty puparia of S. nudiseta inside the grave. | 31 oC | 49% | |
25 April 2018 (7th sampling) | Dry | Empty puparial cases | Puparial cases of H. capensis and S. nudiseta | 38 oC | 54% | |
25 May 2018 (8th sampling) | Dry | Empty puparial cases | Puparial cases of H. capensis and S. nudiseta | 40 oC | 78% | |
26 August 2018 (9th sampling) | Dry | No fauna | …….. | 41 oC | 90% | |
21 November 2018 (10th sampling) | Dry | No fauna | …….. | 20 oC | 73% | |
24 February 2019 (11th sampling) | Dry | No fauna | …….. | 24 oC | 62% | |
25 August 2019 (12th sampling) | Dry | No fauna | …….. | 42 oC | 80% | |
28 March 2020 (13th sampling) | Dry | No fauna | …….. | 28 oC | 56% | |