Sarcophaga Bullata - Other Research

Other Research

Another study was conducted concerning an effect by the mothers of the flesh fly population. There is a maternal effect that operates in S. bullata that can prevent pupal diapause when reared under short day conditions. It was determined that certain environmental stressors or chemical treatments on the mother, such as extreme temperature shocks, food deprivation and reducing maternal size, were ineffective in altering the diapause-suppressant. However, there were several chemical agents that proved effective. Gamma-aminobutyric acid, octopamine and pilocarpine all countered the maternal affect and permitted the expression of diapause in the flesh fly progeny. The ability to express diapause is an important consideration for forensic entomologists as diapause allows the pupae to become metabollically "dormant" until environmental conditions improve; this would significantly affect pupal time estimations and subsequent post-mortem interval estimations.