The worms go in, the worms go out (Warning: Graphic!)

[Texas Blonde]

I stopped at a roadkill deer today, and was amazed to see maggots out and about so I snapped some pics. Its been about 32F all day. Maggots create a huge amount of heat, but in weather like this I would still expect them to be holed up in the body cavity. Just thought I would share the pics for those other fans of these undertakers of the animal world.

The deer had been moved from where it origionally layed, and there were still piles of maggots in the hair mat.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/TexasBlonde/Roadkill/Maggots 3-11-09/IMG_2397.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/TexasBlonde/Roadkill/Maggots 3-11-09/IMG_2399.jpg

Maggots in the eye socket.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/TexasBlonde/Roadkill/Maggots 3-11-09/IMG_2401.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/TexasBlonde/Roadkill/Maggots 3-11-09/IMG_2402.jpg

Yum yum deer!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/TexasBlonde/Roadkill/Maggots 3-11-09/IMG_2406.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/TexasBlonde/Roadkill/Maggots 3-11-09/IMG_2407.jpg

 

[Widowman10]

killer! that's awesome. and you said it was 32F??

 

[a1_collection]

Awesome. I love decomp pictures. They just show off the truly gruesome side of death.

 

[Texas Blonde]

killer! that's awesome. and you said it was 32F??

Yeah, its been crazy cold here. Was even snowing for a bit this afternoon. The deer carcass actually had a bit of steam coming off it, I wish I could have captured that on camera, but the battery died.

 

[Widowman10]

Yeah, its been crazy cold here. Was even snowing for a bit this afternoon. The deer carcass actually had a bit of steam coming off it, I wish I could have captured that on camera, but the battery died.

ooo, now THAT would have been a cool shot! did you photo the deer in texas? or somewhere else?

i didn't know that maggots would go crazy on a deer in freezing weather.

 

[Texas Blonde]

ooo, now THAT would have been a cool shot! did you photo the deer in texas? or somewhere else?

i didn't know that maggots would go crazy on a deer in freezing weather.

Yeah, it was in Texas. Just south of Midland. The deer has been dead for several days, my uneducated guess would be about 5 or 6. The weather has only been cold here for 3 days, so the flies got there when it was still warm. The deer had actually been moved, probably by the person that removed its antlers. There were piles of maggots on the ground in the hair mat, where the deer had origionally been laying. I think it was moved this morning, because it was below freezing last night, and the maggots that were out in the open were still quite alive. There were alot of maggots inside the body cavity, and when alot of maggots get together, they produce alot of heat. Ive read about bodies steaming in cold weather due to the maggots, had just never seen it in person before. I absolutely love maggots, they are really cool little critters.

 

[Widowman10]

Yeah, it was in Texas. Just south of Midland. The deer has been dead for several days, my uneducated guess would be about 5 or 6. The weather has only been cold here for 3 days, so the flies got there when it was still warm. The deer had actually been moved, probably by the person that removed its antlers. There were piles of maggots on the ground in the hair mat, where the deer had origionally been laying. I think it was moved this morning, because it was below freezing last night, and the maggots that were out in the open were still quite alive. There were alot of maggots inside the body cavity, and when alot of maggots get together, they produce alot of heat. Ive read about bodies steaming in cold weather due to the maggots, had just never seen it in person before. I absolutely love maggots, they are really cool little critters.

i would have loved to have seen the maggot-steam action :} :}

that makes sense if the weather was warmer earlier. a lot more sense, cause i usually don't see flies when the temps dip below 45 or so. cool stuff... thanks again for sharing.

 

[Moultmaster]

Maybe Han Solo could keep Luke from freezing. Wonder if it would be as warm and steaming as a ton-ton's innards.

 

[davidbarber1]

Cool pics there Miss Blonde. Interesting post.

David

 

[Miss Bianca]

That was awesomeeee... wow... you got great shots,
thanks for keeping us in mind

to think we'll all wind up just like that one day...
the great circle man, the great circle..

 

[Galapoheros]

Haha, yeah, everyone's destiny. Are you sure that deer was dead ? Well that was bad timing, I was wanting to go get something to eat. Is it the bacteria they stir up somehow that keeps it warm?

 

[Texas Blonde]

Haha, yeah, everyone's destiny. Are you sure that deer was dead ? Well that was bad timing, I was wanting to go get something to eat. Is it the bacteria they stir up somehow that keeps it warm?

They clump together in a mass, and as they writhe about and digest their food, they create heat. They cant stand temps over 120F, so they continually circulate through the mass, moving to the outside when they need to cool off and digest. Picture a really crowded party, its going to be hottest in the center of the room, where people are more closely pressed together. Youd occationally have to leave the center of the room to get a fresh air and cool off.

 

[Galapoheros]

Gets more interesting the more I think about it. Since they aren't warm blooded, really seems like it has to do with bacteria, maybe a kind they mass produce the more they eat(?) I'm going to do a maggot goog!, see what's up with that.

Wow, that's interesting, looked it up, heat from metabolic activity..moving around and eating like you said, it's what I read anyway.

 

[RoachGirlRen]

Very excellent photos, I thoroughly enjoyed viewing. Thanks for sharing!

 

[-Exotic]

Nice photos I guess Bambi is gone know..