Editing Maggot (section)

===Forensic science===
The presence and development of maggots on a [[corpse]] are useful in the estimation of time elapsed since death. Depending on the species and the conditions, maggots may be observed on a body within 24 hours. The eggs are laid directly on the food source, and when the eggs hatch, the maggots move towards their preferred conditions and begin to feed. By studying the insects present at a crime scene, [[forensic entomology|forensic entomologists]] can determine the approximate time of death. Insects are usually useful after a [[post-mortem interval]] (PMI) of approximately 25–80 hours, depending on ambient conditions. After this interval, this method becomes less reliable. Blow flies are often used in forensic entomology to determine PMI because of their [[oviposition]] on carrion and corpses. The black blowfly, ''[[Phormia regina]] (P. regina),'' is extremely widespread across the US and often the earliest species to oviposit on a corpse, making it especially important to forensic science.<ref>Catts, E P; Goff, M L (January 1992). "Forensic Entomology in Criminal Investigations". ''Annual Review of Entomology''. '''37''' (1): 253–272. [[Digital object identifier|doi]]:10.1146/annurev.en.37.010192.001345. [[PubMed Identifier|PMID]] 1539937.</ref>

Maggots are useful as well in [[entomotoxicology]], in determining the presence of drugs in a corpse's system. Maggots bioaccumulate xenobiotics (substances, drugs, metals, etc.) from tissue and bone, therefore allowing entomologists to determine if xenobiotics, most commonly drugs, were present in the body before death.<ref>{{Cite web |title=FORENSIC ENTOMOLOGY : THE USE OF INSECTS |url=https://www.sfu.ca/~ganderso/forensicentomology.htm |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=www.sfu.ca}}</ref> This is useful in concluding a cause of death in many different cases including overdoses and poisonings. It also helps in determining manner of death including suicide or homicides.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Arora |first1=Shuchi |last2=Baptista |first2=Carl |last3=Lim |first3=Chu Sing |date=2011-02-07 |title=Maggot metabolites and their combinatory effects with antibiotic on Staphylococcus aureus |journal=Annals of Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobials |volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=6 |doi=10.1186/1476-0711-10-6 |issn=1476-0711 |pmc=3044109 |pmid=21299858 |doi-access=free }}</ref> Maggots are able to bioaccumulate substances from fresh corpses, as well as fully decomposed skeletonized bodies.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Pounder |first=Derrick J. |date=July 1991 |title=Forensic entomo-toxicology |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0015736891731897 |journal=Journal of the Forensic Science Society |language=en |volume=31 |issue=4 |pages=469–472 |doi=10.1016/S0015-7368(91)73189-7|pmid=1797976 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> Data and resources on entomotoxicology are sparse as it is a relatively new field of study.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Pounder |first=Derrick J. |date=July 1991 |title=Forensic entomo-toxicology |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0015736891731897 |journal=Journal of the Forensic Science Society |language=en |volume=31 |issue=4 |pages=469–472 |doi=10.1016/S0015-7368(91)73189-7|pmid=1797976 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> The knowledge of how the drug or substance effects the development of maggots is necessary as some drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine are proven to accelerate the development of larvae, whereas opiates are shown to decelerate said rate.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Magni |first1=Paola |last2=Conversation |first2=The |title=Flies, maggots and methamphetamine: How insects can reveal drugs and poisons at crime scenes |url=https://phys.org/news/2022-03-flies-maggots-methamphetamine-insects-reveal.html |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=phys.org |language=en}}</ref>