Ms. Keever's Science Classes
There is a $30 lab fee for all science lab classes. Fees can be paid by cash or check (payable to Butler High School). Fees must be paid for supplies to be purchased so students to participate in lab.
Forensic Entomology
Accumulated Degree Days* (ADD): According to Dr. Bill Bass, a (human) body anywhere in the world would be completely skeletonized or covered with mummified tissue when approximately 1200 - 1300 accumulated degree days are reached.
| Day/Date | Avg Temp & Precipitation, ADD* | Photo | Comments |
| 0 R 9/27 | 77°F, 0.03"
38.5 |
|
This is the chicken a few minutes after we placed it outside. A few small gnats and some ants were on it within the first 10 minutes. This was started around noon. Three hours later, the chicken was covered with ants. Notice also that the tips of the wings have started to dry out and darken. |
| 1 F 9/28 | 74°F
112.5 |
|
There is less ant activity, and no other obvious insect activity. There is more drying apparent on the thinner parts. |
| 2 S 9/29 | 69°F
181.5 |
No Photo | |
| 3 S 9/30 | 69°F
250.5 |
No Photo | |
| 4 M 10/1 | 67°F
317.5 |
|
The exterior is beginning to dry. There is almost no ant activity on the top of the chicken, but ants are seen under the bird. Fly activity is fairly high. There are also maggots swarming around the opening on the right of the image. This is a close up of the maggot mass. There is a frothy light-colored substance, and within it are many maggots. A sample was taken and preserved in methanol. There were two different sized maggots in the sample.
|
| 5 T 10/2 | 71°F
388.5 |
|
Note that there is more "goop" coming out of the rear of the chicken. There is also quite a bit of fly activity. |
| 6 W 10/3 | 74°F
462.5 |
|
The neck end of the chicken now has a maggot mass teeming out of it. Notice the visible maggot under the fly in the center of the picture. The tail end's puddle of "goop" is beginning to dry up. We now have beetles visiting in addition to a myriad of flies. There is still ant activity under the bird. |
| 7 R 10/4 | 78°F
540.5 |
No Photo - raining | The maggot mass near the neck has begun to dry out. Although it was sprinkling at Butler, no precipitation was recorded at the airport. |
| 8 F 10/5 | 80°F
620.5 |
 |
|
| 9 S 10/6 | 78°F
698.5 |
No Photo | |
| 10 S 10/7 | 78°F
776.5 |
No Photo | |
| 11 M 10/8 | 77°F
853.5 |
 |
Photo credit to JaCorey & Dreama |
| 12 T 10/9 | 73°F, trace precip
926.5 |
No Photo | |
| 13 W 10/10 | 69°F
995.5 |
No Photo | |
| 14 R 10/11 | 58°F
1053.5 |
No Photo | |
| 15 F 10/12 | 59°F
1112.5 |
No Photo | |
| 16 S 10/13 | 63°F
1175.5 |
No Photo | |
| 17 S 10/14 | 67°F
1242.5 |
No Photo | |
| 18 M 10/15 | 71°F
1313.5 |
|
I lifted the chicken "cage" to take
photos today. Notice that the underside is still moist, and decay is
active. The stain on the ground under the body is composed of hundreds of
compounds. Scientists are only now beginning to figure out what types of
compounds are released by decaying bodies.
The chicken's body has collapsed and is pretty flat now. |
| 19 T 10/16 | 74°F
1387.5 |
||
| 20 W 10/17 | °F | ||
| 21 R 10/18 | °F | ||
| 22 F 10/19 | °F | ||
| 23 S 10/20 | °F | ||
| 24 S 10/21 | °F | ||
| 25 M 10/22 | °F | ||
