Biology and ecology of forensically important blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in New Jersey with a focus on the black blow fly Phormia regina

Blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) are extremely beneficial insects to the decomposition process, making them an invaluable resource in the field of forensics. Being a newly developed field, many questions about blow fly biology and ecology remain unanswered. For my dissertation, I analyzed the biodiversity of forensically important blow flies across the state of New Jersey with a two – year survey using traps baited with beef liver, and examined their distribution across seasons and regions. Twelve species, spanning six genera were collected during that time, with three dominant species collected, Lucilia sericata (Meigen), Lucilia coeruleiviridis (Macquart), and Phormia regina (Meigen). Following the survey, one site was chosen and validated using the same methodology, however, piglet carcasses were used as baits. Once assessing which species were present and common in New Jersey, I investigated their initial behavior with carrion in both diurnal and nocturnal conditions. Initial arrival times were recorded with video equipment, and their interactions with the carrion and other invertebrates were also examined. Due to the extensive work that has been conducted on L. sericata, I chose to focus my developmental analyses on P. regina and L. coeruleiviridis. Three experimental populations of P. regina were collected throughout New Jersey, and reared in two different environments. Their developmental characteristics (time in different developmental stages, pupal and adult weights) were investigated across regions and temperatures (20°C and 25°C) to determine if phenotypic plasticity is present among these populations. Not only were differences seen in phenotypic characteristics, this study provided the first developmental data on P. regina from the northeastern United States. Lucilia coeruleiviridis is a dominant species, not only in New Jersey but also across the United States; however, developmental data have been unavailable for this species, as they do not survive in colony. Using a sample collected from New Brunswick, New Jersey, I was able to analyze their development under 25°C, providing the first development data for this species.