Maggot Mass
Definition
A dense aggregate of larvae feeding collectively, often at body openings or wounds. The mass generates its own heat, sometimes 10 degrees C above ambient, which must be measured directly, not inferred from air temperature.
Related terms
- Accumulated Degree Hours / Days (ADH / ADD)
- A measure of thermal energy available for insect development, calculated as the sum of (temperature above the developmental threshold) multiplied by time....
- Killing Sample
- The portion of collected insects killed immediately in hot water and then fixed in 70-80% ethanol. It preserves the exact developmental instar...
- Post-Mortem Interval (PMI)
- The time elapsed between death and discovery or examination of remains. PMI estimation draws on multiple disciplines: soft tissue decomposition stage, insect...
- Rearing Sample
- Live larvae placed in a rearing container with fresh liver or meat, kept at a controlled temperature until adults emerge. Adult morphology...
- Succession Wave
- A cohort of insect species arriving at a body as one decomposition stage creates the conditions they require. Each wave modifies the...
Explained in
- Collection of Entomological Evidence at the SceneA dense aggregate of larvae feeding collectively, often at body openings or wounds. The mass generates its own heat, sometimes 10 degrees C above ambient, whic...