Coffin Flies-family Phoridae

[Melmoth]

I've been reading about Coffin Flies.Whilst there is much info regarding their ability to burrow down to coffins and to be capable of living out their entire life cycle under ground, there is no mention of how these hunchbacked flies gain entry to the corpse.What I mean is how do they gain entry to a modern sealed coffin? I really would like to know the answer to this one.Any fly experts or forensic pathologists on the boards?

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

Phorids can get through extremely tiny holes or they may be laying the eggs on corpses while we're 'viewing' our dearly departed. Otherwise, spontaneous generation has been proven a fallacy so if the flies or eggs are not there before the coffin is closed and the coffin is truly 'airtight' they will not be there.

 

[Melmoth]

Thanks for your reply Mantid, I think the laying of eggs on the corpse ,before internment sounds a very plausible explanation. I had heard the spontaneous generation theory,but thought it highly dubious to say the least.

 

[Longbord1]

i think its called the deaths head moth or beetkle but they knock on the wood of coffins and they may burrow in im not sure

mike