A forensic entomological study in Uludag University campus, Bursa, Turkey

Abstract

In this study, we investigated for the first time the succession of forensic entomofauna attracted to fresh calf meat tissue during the June to September 4 month period in 2018 in Bursa /Turkey. Calf muscular tissue was selected in order to perform a forensic entomological examination in a small wooded area in the Uludağ University Campus of Bursa province. The reason for this choice is that the deterioration in the decomposition stages compared to the internal organs and other tissues, the muscle tissue is less intensive and the exposure to bacterial fungi is less. In addition, we preferred calf muscle tissue due to its structural similarity to a human. During the examination period, we found several forensic insects, Dermestes undulatus, Halyomorpha halys, Oniscus asellus, Lucilia sericata, Calliphora vicina, Wohlfahrtia magnifica, Hermetia illucens, Blatta sp were attracted to the calf meat both in the underground and in air cages hanging on a tree. Drosophila sp. and Psychodinae sp. were recorded as an incidental species. This study indicates that in this region of Bursa, Diptera, Hemiptera, and Coleoptera are the most frequent insect orders useful for estimating forensic cases.