Distribution and biodiversity of blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) throughout New Jersey

One of the most important aspects where insects can benefit criminal cases is the determination of colonization time, which can subsequently be used to predict a minimum post-mortem interval (m-PMI). Development rate can vary between different blow fly species and within a species across populations. A survey of adult blow flies collected from six geographical regions in New Jersey from January through December (2012) was conducted. Species within the following genera were identified; Calliphora, Cynomya, Lucilia, Phormia and Pollenia. Abundance and diversity of these species will be discussed.  A goal of this study is to determine a model species for future studies examining developmental plasticity as related to temperature and geographic location in New Jersey.