Matching Items (9)
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- All Subjects: Forensic Entomology
- Creators: Meeds, Andrew
Description
Forensic entomology is the use of insects in legal investigations, and relies heavily upon calculating the time of colonization (TOC) of insects on remains using temperature-dependent growth rates. If a body is exposed to temperatures that exceed an insect’s critical limit, TOC calculations could be severely affected. The determination of critical thermal limits of forensically-relevant insects is crucial, as their presence or absence could alter the overall postmortem interval (PMI) calculation. This study focuses on the larvae of Phormia regina (Meigen) (Diptera: Calliphoridae), a forensically relevant blow fly common across North America. Three populations were examined (Arizona, Colorado, and New Jersey), and five day old larvae were exposed to one of two temperatures, 39℃ or 45℃, for five hours. Across all colonies, the survival rate was lower at 45℃ than 39℃, in both larval and emerged adult stages. The Arizona colony experienced a harsher drop in survival rates at 45℃ than either the Colorado or New Jersey colonies. This research suggests that the range of 39℃ - 45℃ approaches the critical thermal limit for P. regina, but does not yet exhibit a near or complete failure of survivorship that a critical temperature would cause at this duration of time. However, there is opportunity for further studies to examine this critical temperature by investigating other temperatures within the 39℃ - 45℃ range and at longer durations of time in these temperatures.
ContributorsMcNeil, Tara (Author) / Weidner, Lauren (Thesis director) / Meeds, Andrew (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Humanities, Arts, and Cultural Studies (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences (Contributor)
Created2022-05
Description
Previous literature in forensic entomology usually features blow fly research, making literature on forensically relevant beetles hard to find. Although some species of dermestid beetles have been well-studied in regions like Hawaii or the eastern portion of the United States, there has been little forensically focused research regarding dermestid beetles found in the southwestern United States. We were able to report the presence of three species of forensically relevant dermestid beetles on carrion studied in Phoenix, Arizona as well as their relative abundance and wild sex ratios in the spring and summer seasons. Understanding the species of dermestid beetles found in Arizona will aid researchers in determining what beetle species are most important. Knowing the natural sex ratios of commonly found dermestid beetles will be invaluable for optimizing dermestid beetle colony performance for researchers breeding dermestid beetles. The detection of specific species of dermestid beetles will help determine which species of beetles need to be studied first.
ContributorsCromer, Barry (Author) / Weidner, Lauren (Thesis director) / Meeds, Andrew (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences (Contributor)
Created2023-12
Description
My Honors Thesis/ Creative Project was an collection of art pieces that were based on a research done at West Campus in Dr. Weidner's forensic entomology laboratory. In this research, two swine carcasses were place outdoors for 21 days during the four seasons. The goal was to collect insects that approached and colonized the carcasses. The collected data can be used to determine the TOC (time of colonization) of some insects; thus, it can help to calculate the PMI (postmortem interval). Different collection were used like larvae rearing, pitfalls, netting, and hand collection. The larvae were reared into adulthood and then identified into a species. The rest of the insects were identified into orders. To present this information, the data collected from the two carcasses was combined to make the presentation easier to understand. I created four circular canvases to present the collection of flies in each check. It shows both flies were reared and which were seen or collected. The other series of work that I sculpted were 120 ceramics flowers to represent the insects orders that were observed in each season and check. During my thesis defense, I presented the research project, and how my project can help people understand this research.
ContributorsMunoz Zavala, Jaira (Author) / Weidner, Lauren (Thesis director) / Meeds, Andrew (Committee member) / Neubauer, Mary (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences (Contributor) / School of Art (Contributor)
Created2023-12
ContributorsMunoz Zavala, Jaira (Author) / Weidner, Lauren (Thesis director) / Meeds, Andrew (Committee member) / Neubauer, Mary (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences (Contributor) / School of Art (Contributor)
Created2023-12
ContributorsMunoz Zavala, Jaira (Author) / Weidner, Lauren (Thesis director) / Meeds, Andrew (Committee member) / Neubauer, Mary (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences (Contributor) / School of Art (Contributor)
Created2023-12
ContributorsMunoz Zavala, Jaira (Author) / Weidner, Lauren (Thesis director) / Meeds, Andrew (Committee member) / Neubauer, Mary (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences (Contributor) / School of Art (Contributor)
Created2023-12
ContributorsMunoz Zavala, Jaira (Author) / Weidner, Lauren (Thesis director) / Meeds, Andrew (Committee member) / Neubauer, Mary (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences (Contributor) / School of Art (Contributor)
Created2023-12
ContributorsMunoz Zavala, Jaira (Author) / Weidner, Lauren (Thesis director) / Meeds, Andrew (Committee member) / Neubauer, Mary (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences (Contributor) / School of Art (Contributor)
Created2023-12
ContributorsMunoz Zavala, Jaira (Author) / Weidner, Lauren (Thesis director) / Meeds, Andrew (Committee member) / Neubauer, Mary (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences (Contributor) / School of Art (Contributor)
Created2023-12