Seasonal changes in the distribution of pig carrion entomofauna in Southeastern Nigeria
Uhuo, C. A.* and Nwele, D. E.
Forensic entomology applies the study of insects colonizing decomposing remains to estimate Postmortem Interval (PMI), aiding coronial investigations in resolving suspicious deaths across varying seasons. This study investigated the entomofauna associated with pig carcasses (Sus scrofa L.) in southeast Nigeria during wet and dry seasons. Decomposing carcasses were monitored, and insect specimens at different developmental stages were collected using sweep nets and pitfall traps, then preserved in 70% ethanol for identification. A total of 91 species belonging to 38 families across 10 insect orders were recorded from both seasons. Complete skeletonization occurred within 31–36 days during the dry season and 37–48 days during the wet season. Statistical analysis revealed no significant difference in overall insect abundance between wet and dry seasons (p>0.05; 0.21). However, a significant variation was observed in insect assemblages across decomposition stages, from fresh to dry decay (p<0.05; 0.04). Although seasonal variation was not pronounced, shifts in microenvironmental factors influenced insect succession patterns. These findings highlight the potential of entomofaunal evidence in estimating PMI under varying seasonal conditions, thereby providing valuable baseline data for forensic investigations in Nigeria.