beetles Flashcards

1
Q
  • whats the common name
  • where found
  • evidence of
  • association w dead bodies
  • is this an insect
  • taxonomic group
A
  • spider
  • on clothing
  • terrestrial habitat
  • accidental or adventive, not a carrion specialist, hides in clothing or body to hunt other insects
  • no
  • class arachnida
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2
Q
  • whats the common name
  • where found
  • evidence of
  • association w dead bodies
  • is this an insect
  • taxonomic group
A
  • black blow fly
  • on dead bodies
  • recent death
  • yes, early arriver on large carcasses and is a carrion specialist
  • yes is an insect
  • Phormia regina, family calliphoridae, order diptera
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3
Q
  • whats the common name
  • where found
  • evidence of
  • association w dead bodies
  • is this an insect
  • taxonomic group
A
  • carpet beetle or museum beetle
  • on mummified bodies
  • old stage, dried carcass
  • yes, carrion specialist and dried protein
  • yes an insect
  • family: dermestidae, order: colleoptera
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4
Q
  • whats the common name
  • where found
  • evidence of
  • association w dead bodies
  • is this an insect
  • what stage
A
  • bed bug
  • houses, on clothing and bedding and car seats
  • body was indoors
  • accidental, hides in clothing
  • yes an insect
  • adult
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5
Q

what is the best insect bait

A

actual bodies, not things that smell like bodies

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6
Q

what was the main discovery of the Trumbo et al 2021 study

A

traps supplemented w both methyl thiolacetate and dimethyl trisulfide attracted greater numbers of beetles

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7
Q

true/false insects can strip a carcass rapidly

A

true

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8
Q

true/false colonizing a carcass is distinct

A
  • false
  • it is not distinct
  • waves of colonization overlap
  • geographic and seasonal differences exist
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9
Q

what did megnin 1894 identify about insect colonization, and what has changed

A
  • identified 8 invasian waves on human corpses
  • ecologists group these stages together into as few as 2 stages
  • this has ecological utility but not useful for forensic entomologists
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10
Q

what did payne 1965 identify

A
  • used pig carcasses to identify 6 stages of decay
  • fresh, bloat, active, advances, dry, remains
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11
Q

what did bornmissza 1957 identify

A
  • found 5 stages of decay
  • initial, putrefaction, black putrefaction, butyric fermentation, dry decay
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12
Q

what is the timeline for bornmissza’s 5 stages of decay

A
  • initial (0-2 days), appears fresh, decomposing internally due to bacteria found on body prior to death
  • putrefaction (2-12 days), swollen by gas produced internally, odour of decay
  • black putrefaction (12-20 days) fresh creamy consistency, exposed parts black, body collapses after gases escape, strong odour
  • butyric fermentation (20-40 days) carcass dries out, some flesh cheesy odour, top mouldy from fermentation
  • dry decay (40-50 days) almost dry, slow decay
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13
Q

are there differences when the carcass is in the shade or sun

A
  • yeah
  • the temp changes, and so does decay speed
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14
Q

true/false phaenicia has replaced some lucilia

A
  • false
  • Hall 1948 proposed to change the genus name for some but instead they just left it all as lucilia
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15
Q

roughly which stage of decomp are blowfly larvae there for

A
  • putrefaction
  • black putrefaction
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16
Q

roughly which stage of decomp are staphylinidae there for

A
  • black putrefaction
  • butyric fermentation
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17
Q

roughly which stage of decomp are histeridae there for

A
  • putrefaction
  • black putrefaction
  • butyric fermentation
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18
Q

roughly which stage of decomp are dermestes there for

A
  • black putrefaction
  • butyric fermentation
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19
Q

roughly which stage of decomp are dermestes larvae there for

A
  • butyric fermentation
  • dry decay
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20
Q

roughly which stage of decomp are collembola there for

A
  • all of them
  • slightly more at putrefaction but still all
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21
Q

roughly which stage of decomp are gryllidae there for

A

putrefaction

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22
Q

roughly which stage of decomp are dermaptera there for

A

all of them

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23
Q

roughly which stage of decomp are psocoptera there for

A

putrefaction

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24
Q

roughly which stage of decomp are coleoptera there for

A
  • putrefaction
  • then theyre gone, then back for
    -butyric fermentation
  • dry decay
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25
Q

roughly which stage of decomp are pseudoscorpiones there for

A
  • all of them
  • more at start and end but still all
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26
Q

roughly which stage of decomp are acari there for

A
  • all of them
  • more at start and end but still all
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27
Q

what are ants and earwigs useful early on vs later stages

A
  • early PMI
  • better indictors of location in later stages
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28
Q

____ and _____ differences exist in colonization

A
  • geographical
  • seasonal
29
Q

roughly which stage of decomp are blow flies there for

A
  • fresh
  • bloated
  • decay
30
Q

roughly which stage of decomp are ants there for

A
  • bloated
  • decay
  • (a little fresh and dry but not really)
31
Q

roughly which stage of decomp are rove beetles there for

A
  • bloated
  • decay
32
Q

roughly which stage of decomp are cheese skipeprs there for

A
  • bloated
  • decay
33
Q

roughly which stage of decomp are checkered beetles there for

A
  • decay
  • dry
34
Q

roughly which stage of decomp are dermestid beetles there for

A
  • decay
  • dry
35
Q

roughly which stage of decomp are hide beetles there for

A
  • decay
  • dry
36
Q

what family are beetles

A

silphidae

37
Q

what do adult beetles feed on

A
  • decaying material
  • carrion
  • prey on fly larvae and snails
38
Q

what do larvae feed on

A

carrion

39
Q

how do adults find carcasses

A
  • via ocour cues (olfaction) sensilla on terminal antennal segments
  • they detect hydrogen sulfide and cyclic carbon compounds
40
Q

true/false some adult beetles carry nematodes and cestodes, which infect humans and dometic animals

A
  • False
  • they do carry nematode and cestodes
  • these do not infect humans or domestic animals
41
Q

what do beetles compete with for carrion

A

flies

42
Q

describe the study of rabies and anthrax and beetles

A

rabies were deactivated in gut of Nicrophorus but anthrax bacilli may be spread

43
Q

what four families of mites do beetles carry

A
  • Parasitidae (this is the most common)
  • Anoetidae
  • uropodidae
  • macrochelidae
44
Q

what are the 2 subfamilies of Silphidae

A
  • nicrophorinae
  • silphinae
45
Q

describe the structure of nicrophorinae

A
  • elytra shorter than abdomen, usually exposing 3-4 abdominal tergites
  • elytra usually w red or orange markings
  • second anetenal segment small hidden in tip of 1st segment
46
Q

describe the structure of silphinae

A
  • elytra covers abdomen, or exposes 1-2 tergites
  • second antennal segment not hidden, large
47
Q

how can we tell family vs subfamily between silphidae and silphinae

A
  • silphidae is family cause dae
  • silphinae is subfamily cause nae
48
Q

what are the 4 necrophorines

A
  • nicrophorus sayi
  • nicrophorus orbicollis
  • nicrophorus tomentosus
  • nicrophorus pustulata
49
Q
A
  • nicrophorus sayi
  • look at the red markings and 3 abdominal tergites
  • yellow antenna tips
  • antennas go sideways not forwards
50
Q
A
  • nicrophorus orbicollis
  • look at the red markings and 3-4 abdominal tergites
  • yellow eyes and antenna bits
  • antennas go forwards not to the sides
51
Q
A
  • nicrophorus tomentosus
  • look at the red markings and 3-4 abdominal tergites
  • yellow thorax (the bubblebee guy)
  • also buzzes like a bee
52
Q
A
  • nicrophorus pustulata
  • 3-4 abdominal tergites
  • no red marks
  • all black and the tiny bit of brown
53
Q

what are the four silphines

A
  • necrodes surinamensis
  • oxelytrum discicolle
  • oxelytrum inaequale
  • necrophila americana
54
Q
A
  • necrodes surinamensis
  • 2 abdominal tergites
  • fully brown
  • little lighter brown line around bottom
55
Q
A
  • oxelytrum discicolle
  • no abdominal tergites
  • yellow/ orange thorax
  • legs go parallel to body
56
Q
A
  • oxelytrum inaequale
  • 2 abdominal tergites
  • grey body and tiny head
57
Q
A
  • necrophila americana
  • 2 abdominal tergites
  • light yellow thorax
  • little yellow line along bottom of abdomin
58
Q

describe the life history/ timeline of silphinae

A
  • breed at large carcasses, adults find dead body, then mate
  • females oviposit on soil around carcass
  • 2-7 days, larvae hatch, then move to carcass to feed
  • 3 larval instars
  • pupate in soil 14-21 days
  • wait for fly maggots to finish feeding to avoid competition: sooo beetle eggs hatch when 1st gen flies are leaving to pupate
  • little to no parental care
59
Q

describe the life history of nicrophorinae

A
  • breed at small carcasses
  • adults will find animal (mouse/vole) and crawl over it to assess for suitability for burial
  • they burrow into soil under carcass, and push soil out from sides so body sinks into ground
  • beetles create crypt with carcass in centre
  • 1 pair of beetles per carcass, will fight if more than 1 pair
  • pair strips carcass of hair and rolls into ball
  • female digs utnnel and lays eggs
  • males leave chamber
  • larvae hatch, move to food, and female chews hole into carcass to allow larvae entry
  • larvae enter the hole and mother feeds larvae for about 6 hours, then they feed on their own
  • 3 larval instars
  • pupate in soil
  • female leave chamber
60
Q

what makes the genus nicrophorus unusual among beetles

A

they have biparental care young

61
Q

what is the timeline of the larvae and pupae for nicrophorinae

A
  • tunnel is dug and eggs are laid within 48 hours
  • once eggs hatch, mother feeds for 6 hours
  • 1st instar is 12 hours
  • 2nd is 24 hours
  • 3rd is 5-15 days
  • pupate for 13-15 days
62
Q

what is the timeline for silphinae

A
  • larvae hatch after 2-7 days
  • 1st instar 3-7 days
  • 2nd is 3-10 days
  • 3rd is 3-10 days
  • pupate in soil for 14-21 days
63
Q

what weird defensive behaviour do silphids have

A
  • will raise their abdomen in imitation of a stinger, creating a rasping sound like a bee or wasp
  • they then produce and squirt a foul smelling liquid for anus, probably toxic
  • colouration is likely warning, so birds avoid them
64
Q

give some info on necrodes surinamensis

A
  • large carcasses
  • attracted to light
65
Q

give some info on necrophila americana

A
  • late spring early summer
  • diurnal (are out and about during day)
66
Q

give some info on oiceptoma inaequale

A
  • early spring
  • one generation per year
  • diurnal
  • fringe of hair at eyes
67
Q

give some info on oiceptoma novaboracense

A
  • early spring
  • one generation
  • forested habitats
68
Q

give some info on thanatophilus lapponicus

A
  • early spring
  • dominant species, often the only one collected
  • northern species
  • can be found around garbage piles or burning barrels
69
Q
A