The sarcosaprophagous fauna plays a key role in organic matter decomposition. Moreover, the biological, ecological and behavioral specificities of the taxa are useful to reconstruct the decay history of a corpse or carcass, often back to the lethal event. Here we report the seasonal succession of the insect fauna on a pig carcass exposed in a rural area in Calabria (southern Italy) during summer 2007 and 2008. The aim is to identify and qualitatively assess the major taxa of forensic importance in this region. The principal fly invaders were Lucilia caesar (L.), L. sericata (Meigen, 1826), Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann, 1819), Sarcophaga (Meigen, 1826) spp. and Amobia (Robineau‐Desvoidy, 1830) spp., Musca domestica (L.) and Muscina stabulans (Fallen, 1817). The primary beetle species collected in summer belonged to Dermestidae, Dermestes maculatus (De Geer, 1774) and Cleridae, Necrobia rufipes (De Geer, 1775). This paper also examined the ecological role of ants in the insect succession and describes the evidence of skin injuries directly inflicted by the acrobat ant Crematogaster (Acrocoelia) scutellaris (Olivier, 1791) (Hymenoptera Formicidae) while feeding on pig carrion. Ants belonging to two other species were also collected: Camponotus aethiops (Latreille, 1798) and Tetramorium semilaeve (André, 1881). Ants can invade carcasses and corpses directly, disrupting blowfly egg laying or preying on their larvae. Our data on the carrion faunal composition and role of ants as invaders should be useful for further forensic cases in Calabria (southern Italy). This is among the few reports of ants as forensically relevant species.

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Dermestidae and other necrophagous beetles may aid in the estimation of post-mortem interval, especially in situations where decompostionen is advanced and therefore, insect succession patterns are the best method available. We report, for the first time, Dermestes frischii Kugelann, 1792 and D. undulatus larvae and adults from a human body discovered in Cassano, Cosenza province, southern Italy. The corpse was a 88 year old male. The cadaver was dry and in outdoor location. The other insect species associated with Dermestes spp were Necrobia ruficollis (adults and larvae) and Chrysomya albiceps (Diptera, Calliphoridae) (empty puparium). The time of death was estimated to have been 25 days prior to the finding of the body, based on police investigations and statements of the caretaker. Beetles collected from corpses and crime scenes can be helpful to estimate the colonization interval in summer season and at dry environmental conditions that are to be expected to increase du to climate change.

We present data from the fi rst study of successional patterns of insect fauna in Calabria (southern Italy). Th e aim was to identify and qualitatively assess the major taxa of forensic importance in this region. Studies were conducted in autumn-winter 2006, summer 2007 and winter 2008 in the Botanical Garden, University of Calabria. Over 50 taxa were collected and identifi ed. Th e most abundant fl y species were Lucilia caesar (Linnaeus, 1758), L. sericata (Meigen, 1826), Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann, 1819), Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830, C. vomitoria (Linnaeus, 1758) , Sarcophaga spp ., Amobia sp ., Musca domestica Linnaeus, 1758, and Muscina stabulans ((Fallén). Th e successional patterns, relative abundance of adult sarcosaprophagous insects, carcass decay, diversity and seasonality of species are described and the taxa useful for estimating the post-mortem interval (PMI) are identifi ed. Th e data of this study could be very useful for further forensic investigations in southern Italy. ©Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2010.