Over the course of the experiment, we observed the decomposition within the pork shoulder. Over the time, the first change we saw was on September 10th where it began to dry out and look like leather. The next change we saw was the 15th where bone was beginning to show and it turned into a tight over layer of skin. From then on out, the meat kept decaying into, for all we know now, a skeleton.
The specific data and observations we collected were that the physical decaying appearance and the insects that were attracted. After the first day it was out, it looked like leather and had many insects around it, such as, flies, wasps, maggots and small larve. From then the insects pretty much stayed the same and the meat just began to disappear.
With comparing my results with the published data, it came out pretty accurate. Where my data wasn't consistent was when we didn't record enough data that day to determine certain things in the end. From the PMI and ADD chart that we made to figure out the time of death, we had to mess around with it a couple of times because the data that I had, again, wasn't quite accurate. Overall, in the end, the data did help find out the time we put the pig shoulder outside.
From what I have learned with this lab, I really do believe now that Forensic Entomology has a large value as a crime solving tool. With learning how to calculate it and really doing our own lab or crime, it really showed how entomologists do their job. Entomology can be very critical to a case where there is no other evidence other then flies and maggots. For example, Dr. Neal Haskell has his life based on Forensic Entomology and he does it the best. He is called into famous cases to determine the time of death because that may be the only way someone can be accused guilty for a crime.
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