The maggot, the ethologist and the forensic entomologist: Sociality and thermoregulation in necrophagous larvae

Necrophagous insects are mostly known through forensic entomology. Indeed, experimental data investigating the effect of temperature on larval development underlies post-mortem interval estimations. However, such developmental studies rarely considered the behavior of maggots. In contrast, previous results supposed that calliphoridae larvae use behavioral strategies to optimize their development on carcasses. To test this idea, we analyzed the trade-off between thermal regulation (individual thermal preferences) and social behavior (aggregation) in Lucilia sericata larvae. The first set of experiments analyzed the behavior of third instars in response to thermal changes in their environment. The results demonstrated a clear thermoregulation behavior, supporting the assumption that larvae continuously move to reach a suitable internal temperature. The second set of experiments focused on the trade-off between thermal optimization and aggregation. The results showed a constant search for congeners and an attractiveness of aggregates, sometimes to the detriment of thermal optimization. Together, these results demonstrate a balance between behavioral thermoregulation and social strategies, two significant mechanisms for developmental optimization in necrophagous larvae. In conclusion, these findings highlights unexpected (social) strategies to cope with ephemeral resource and high selection pressure. They also raise important questions for forensic entomology.