Effect of Sunlight Versus Shade on the Magnitude of Presence of Forensically Important Species of Diptera in Northeastern Trinidad.
Abstract
Various environmental factors can affect the duration of dipteran life cycles, a cycle important in forensic entomology when determining the time of colonization, which could be a time of death estimate. The amount of sunlight a carrion receives can influence the magnitude of presence of Diptera. In order to investigate, FTD2 disposable fly traps were used in lieu of carrion and were placed in direct sunlight and under shade for a total of 5 days between approximately 0700 and 1730. Diptera were collected and counted daily. Monitors of Ambient Light Intensity (MALI) sensors were used to determine the amount of sunlight a trap received by counting pulses of light outside a preset lux meter minimum or maximum. Shaded traps collected higher numbers of flies as time progressed while traps placed in direct sunlight collected fewer. A Fisher Exact test was used, and it was determined that there was a statistically significant trend that the flies preferred the shaded traps over the sunlit. Further trials and emphasis on ultraviolet radiation could be beneficial in determining a more statistically significant trend.
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