Utilizing museum records for historical and ecological insights into blow fly (Diptera: Calliphoridae) populations in California

Climate change has altered ecosystems causing major loss of biodiversity across taxa. Museum collections can provide important historical data to study ecological changes in populations over time, the rate of those changes, and consequences of climate change. Museum records of blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) can be incorporated into understanding climate change and anthropogenic disturbance, such as urbanization. Blow flies feed and develop on decomposing animals and they play an incredibly important role in breaking down dead animal matter as they are often the first insects to arrive at carrion. Moreover, researchers have suggested that blow flies are ideal indicators of levels of urbanization as there have been documented shifts in their populations related to urban-natural gradients. This project documents blow fly specimens collected in California that are currently preserved at the UC Riverside Entomology Museum. So far specimens have been cataloged stemming back to 1910 with Cochliomyia macellaria and Calliphora latifrons being the most recorded species. We examine seasonal and geographic patterns in these records to understand shifts in California blow fly communities over time and space. Records of these specimens will also be entered into the museum’s database and made publicly available to aid in future research.