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Overwintering behaviour of the skipper fly (Diptera: Piophilidae) of forensic importance in Québec, Canada

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2021

Julie-Éléonore Maisonhaute Open the ORCID record for Julie-Éléonore Maisonhaute [Opens in a new window]  and
Shari L. Forbes
Julie-Éléonore Maisonhaute*
Affiliation:
Département de Chimie, Biochimie et Physique, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, 3351 Boulevard des Forges, Trois-Rivières, Québec, G8Z 4M3, Canada
Shari L. Forbes*
Affiliation:
Département de Chimie, Biochimie et Physique, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, 3351 Boulevard des Forges, Trois-Rivières, Québec, G8Z 4M3, Canada
*
*Corresponding authors. Emails: [email protected]; [email protected]
*Corresponding authors. Emails: [email protected]; [email protected]
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Abstract

Laboratory experiments and field observations from August 2019 to April 2020 demonstrated that skipper flies (Diptera: Piophilidae) overwinter as larvae and likely present an obligatory winter diapause in Québec, Canada. Diapause was confirmed by the very few emergences of adults in the laboratory following collection from carrion at the end of summer and in fall, the migration of larvae deep in the soil, and the persistence of larvae inside carrion during the winter until the following spring when they became active again and initiated pupation (i.e., intra-puparial period). To our knowledge, our observations represent the first report of the overwintering of skipper fly larvae inside an animal carcass in North America. In addition, this winter diapause should be considered in forensic entomology when using the presence of skipper fly larvae on a body to estimate the time elapsed since death.

Résumé

Résumé

Des expériences effectuées en laboratoire et des observations faites sur le terrain ont démontré que les mouches de la famille des Piophilidae hivernent au stade larvaire, et suggèrent qu’elles présentent une diapause hivernale obligatoire au Québec, Canada. La preuve en est, le faible nombre d’émergence d’adultes en laboratoire à la fin de l’été et durant l’automne, l’observation de larves migrant profondément dans le sol, et la présence de larves à l’intérieur des carcasses de cochon tout au long de l’hiver, jusqu’au printemps suivant où elles redeviennent actives et initient leur pupaison (i.e., période intra-puparium). À notre connaissance, c’est la première fois qu’il est fait mention de l’hivernation de larves de Piophilidae à l’intérieur de carcasses animales en Amérique du Nord. De plus, l’existence de cette diapause hivernale doit être prise en compte en entomologie légale, lors de l’estimation de la date minimale de décès à partir de la présence de larves de Piophilidae sur un corps.

Type
Scientific Notes
Information
The Canadian Entomologist , Volume 153 , Issue 2 , April 2021 , pp. 172 - 180
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Entomological Society of Canada.

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Footnotes

Subject editor: Julia Mlynarek

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