Oviposition
Definition
The act of laying eggs. Blow flies oviposit directly onto remains, choosing moist, sheltered sites such as body orifices and wounds. Temperature and light conditions influence when oviposition occurs.
- Definition
- The act of laying eggs
- Typical sites on remains
- Moist, sheltered areas such as orifices and wounds
- Species
- Blow flies
- Influencing factors
- Temperature and light conditions
Common questions
Why does oviposition timing matter for estimating the postmortem interval?+
The interval between death and the first oviposition event is usually short in favourable conditions, so the developmental stage of the oldest larvae recovered can be used to back-calculate a minimum time since death, provided local temperature data is available.
Can oviposition occur at night?+
Most blow fly species require daylight to locate and lay eggs on remains, so oviposition is typically restricted to daylight hours, which factors into minimum PMI calculations when a death is suspected to have occurred overnight.
Related terms
- Calliphoridae
- The blowfly family: metallic-coloured flies that are typically the earliest colonisers of exposed remains. Forensically important genera include Calliphora, Lucilia, Chrysomya, and...
- Larviposition
- The act of depositing live larvae rather than eggs. Flesh flies are larviparous: the egg hatches internally, and a first instar larva...
- Muscidae
- A large family including house flies (Musca domestica) and stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans). Non-metallic, typically dull grey or brown. Secondary or later...
- Sarcophagidae
- The flesh fly family. Grey or black with longitudinal thoracic stripes and a chequered abdomen. Larviparous (deposit live larvae), so colonisation appears...
- Succession
- The predictable sequence of different insect species colonising remains as decomposition progresses. Early stages attract blow flies; later stages attract beetles, moths,...