1. Entomology Kit Climate Data Analysis Tutorial
Vandalia Science Education
Updated 2/22/11

2. Degree-Hour Determination
Knowns
Bodies discovered at 1:00PM on June 20
Insects collected at 3:00PM on June 20
Weather type (sunny, partly cloudy, overcast)
Weather events (rain, thunderstorms, snow)
Daily average temperature
Male and Female had the same species and lifecycles present (Migrating 3rd Instar Species A, 2nd Instar Species B)
Unknowns
Elapsed degree-hours for each day
Degree-hours for each life stage of both species
Cumulative degree-hours for each life stage of both species
Cumulative elapsed degree hours for each day
Which day the adult insect from both species laid its eggs
Earliest and latest time the insects began developing

3. Elapsed degree-hours for each day
Lab Procedure 2, Step 2: Determine the number of degree hours for each day using the weather service data. To do this, multiply the average temperature times 24 hours for each day. This can be performed in a spreadsheet.
The collection time was 3:00PM on June 20, this tells us to multiply the first average temperature by 15 hours instead of 24
Every other daily average temperature in the month will be multiplied by 24

4. Elapsed degree-hours for each day
MAX
MIN
AVG
DEPAR-TURE FROM NORMAL
HEATING
COOLING
TOTAL WATER EQUIV
SNOW-FALL, ICE PELLETS
SNOW, ICE PELLETS OR ICE ON GROUND
AVG SPEED (MPH)
AVG SPEED (KPH)
SKY COVER SUNRISE-SUNSET
WEATHER OCCURENCES
PEAK WIND (KPH)
degree hours 1
18.3
10.6
16.1
-1.9
-1.0
2.2
0.0
0.00
6.3
10.08 6
S 18.7 2
19.4
12.8
15.0
-3.0
-1.7
3.3
0.09
13.8
22.08
SE 26.2
360 3
17.2
9.4
-5.2
-2.9
5.6
0.19
27.52 8 5
SW 33.3 4
20.0
13.3
-4.7
-2.6
5.0
0.28
12.3
19.68 9
W 38.6
320
21.1
1.4
0.8
1.1
11.1
17.76 7
1,2
W 28.3
25.6
16.7
20.6
2.6
8.1
12.96
SW 24.3
23.9
15.2
0.07
S 16.7
0.11
13.2
21.12
S 27.9
22.1
13.9
18.9
0.9
0.5
0.6
4.2
6.72
SE 10.3 10
25.0
12.6
8.88
14.208
S 22.7 11
8.9
15.3
-2.7
-1.5
0.67
19.6
31.36
3,5
S 32.4
367.2 12
14.5
10.5
-7.5
-4.2
1.13 T
23.5
37.6
1,3,5
SW 43.8
252 13
7.2
12.1
-5.9
-3.3
0.23
14.2
22.72
S 29.8
290.4 14
19.3
9.3
0.02
16.8
S 24.5 15
16.5
11.9
19.04
SW 23 16
10.7
6.4
10.24
W 19.2 17
9.5
12.9
-5.1
-2.8
S 27.2
309.6 18
16.4
-1.6
-0.9
W 26.3
393.6 19
19.1
10.9
15.9
-2.1
-1.2
2.8
4.6
7.36
SW 17.8
381.6 20
22.0
18.4
0.4
0.2
7.4
11.84
W 23.1
276

5. Degree-hours for each life stage: Species A
Lab Procedure 2, Step 3: Determine the number of degree hours required for each life stage of both species. To do this, multiply the number of hours by the degrees Celsius given in the table.
Temp °C
Egg
1st Instar
2nd Instar
Feeding 3rd Instar
Migrating 3rd Instar
Pupa 21 31 26 50
118
240
21*21 = 441
31*21 = 651
26*21 = 546
50*21 = 1050
118*21 = 2478
240*21 = 5040

6. Degree-hours for each life stage: Species B
Lab Procedure 2, Step 3: Determine the number of degree hours required for each life stage of both species. To do this, multiply the number of hours by the degrees Celsius given in the table.
Temp °C
Egg
1st Instar
2nd Instar
Feeding 3rd Instar
Migrating 3rd Instar
Pupa 21 25 37 31 60
124
286
25*21 = 525
37*21 = 777
31*21 = 651
60*21 = 1260
124*21 = 2604
286*21 = 6006

7. Cumulative degree-hours for each life stage: Species A
Lab Procedure 2, Step 4: By adding all the degree hours for each of the six life stages together, you calculate the cumulative degree hours required for an adult fly to develop at 21°C.
Temp °C
Egg
1st Instar
2nd Instar
Feeding 3rd Instar
Migrating 3rd Instar
Pupa 21 31 26 50
118
240
Deg Hrs
441
651
546
1050
2478
5040
Cum. Deg Hrs
= 1092
= 1638
= 2688
= 5166
= 10206
Adult degree-hours = ∑ degree hours at each stage
= cumulative degree hours =

8. Cumulative degree-hours for each life stage: Species B
Lab Procedure 2, Step 4: By adding all the degree hours for each of the six life stages together, you calculate the cumulative degree hours required for an adult fly to develop at 21°C.
Temp °C
Egg
1st Instar
2nd Instar
Feeding 3rd Instar
Migrating 3rd Instar
Pupa 21 25 37 31 60
124
286
Deg Hrs
525
777
651
1260
2604
6006
Cum. Deg Hrs
= 1302
= 1953
= 3213
= 5817
= 11823
Adult degree-hours = ∑ degree hours at each stage
= cumulative degree hours =

9. Cumulative degree-hours for each day
Lab Procedure 2, Step 5: Calculate elapsed degree hours for each of the days in the climatological data provided. To do this, multiply the number of hours by the average temperature that day.
DAY
MAX
MIN
AVG
DEPAR-TURE FROM NORMAL
HEATING
COOLING
TOTAL WATER EQUIV
SNOW-FALL, ICE PELLETS
SNOW, ICE PELLETS OR ICE ON GROUND
AVG SPEED (MPH)
AVG SPEED (KPH)
SKY COVER SUNRISE-SUNSET
WEATHER OCCURENCES
PEAK WIND (KPH)
degree hours
cumulative degree hours 1
18.3
10.6
16.1
-1.9
-1.0
2.2
0.0
0.00
6.3
10.08 6
S 18.7 2
19.4
12.8
15.0
-3.0
-1.7
3.3
0.09
13.8
22.08
SE 26.2
360 3
17.2
9.4
-5.2
-2.9
5.6
0.19
27.52 8 5
SW 33.3 4
20.0
13.3
-4.7
-2.6
5.0
0.28
12.3
19.68 9
W 38.6
320
6230.4
21.1
1.4
0.8
1.1
11.1
17.76 7
1,2
W 28.3
5910.4
25.6
16.7
20.6
2.6
8.1
12.96
SW 24.3
23.9
15.2
0.07
S 16.7
4950.4
0.11
13.2
21.12
S 27.9
22.1
13.9
18.9
0.9
0.5
0.6
4.2
6.72
SE 10.3 10
25.0
12.6
8.88
14.208
S 22.7 11
8.9
15.3
-2.7
-1.5
0.67
19.6
31.36
3,5
S 32.4
367.2 12
14.5
10.5
-7.5
-4.2
1.13 T
23.5
37.6
1,3,5
SW 43.8
252 13
7.2
12.1
-5.9
-3.3
0.23
14.2
22.72
S 29.8
290.4 14
19.3
9.3
0.02
16.8
S 24.5 15
16.5
11.9
19.04
SW 23 16
10.7
6.4
10.24
W 19.2
1680.8 17
9.5
12.9
-5.1
-2.8
S 27.2
309.6
1360.8 18
16.4
-1.6
-0.9
W 26.3
393.6
1051.2 19
19.1
10.9
15.9
-2.1
-1.2
2.8
4.6
7.36
SW 17.8
381.6
657.6 20
22.0
18.4
0.4
0.2
7.4
11.84
W 23.1
276

10. Which day the adult insect laid eggs on the body: Species A
Lab Procedure 2, Step 6a: Examine the species A life stages collected as evidence and identify the oldest species A life stage collection for the adult male.
Feeding 3rd Instar
Migrating 3rd Instar 50
118
1050
2478
= 2688
= 5166
DAY
degree hours
cumulative degree hours 1 2
360 3 4
320
6230.4 5
5910.4 6 7
4950.4 8 9 10 11
367.2 12
252 13
290.4 14 15 16
1680.8 17
309.6
1360.8 18
393.6
1051.2 19
381.6
657.6 20
276
On Day 11, the cumulative degree-hours were Species A takes 2688 degree-hours to complete development in the Feeding 3rd Instar and begin development in the Migration stage of the 3rd Instar. The temperature data alone suggests that the eggs were laid on the 12th, but there was a storm then, so we know that the eggs were laid before then since flies are not active during thunderstorms.

11. Which day the adult insect laid eggs on the body: Species B
Lab Procedure 2, Step 6a: Examine the species A life stages collected as evidence and identify the oldest species B life stage collection for the adult male.
1st Instar
2nd Instar 37 31
777
651
= 1302
= 1953
DAY
degree hours
cumulative degree hours 1 2
360 3 4
320
6230.4 5
5910.4 6 7
4950.4 8 9 10 11
367.2 12
252 13
290.4 14 15 16
1680.8 17
309.6
1360.8 18
393.6
1051.2 19
381.6
657.6 20
276
On Day 17, the cumulative degree-hours were Species B takes 1302 degree-hours to complete development in the 1st Instar and begin development in the 2nd Instar.

12. Conclusion: Bodies have been dead for a minimum of 8 days, 16 hours
Post Mortem Interval = ∑ hours(day)
= h(20) + h(19) + h(18) … h(10)
= 207 hours
= 8 days, 15 hours
DAY
degree hours
cumulative degree hours 9 10 11
367.2 12
252 13
290.4 14
360 15 16
320
1680.8 17
309.6
1360.8 18
393.6
1051.2 19
381.6
657.6 20
276
THUNDERSTORM
The post mortem interval was calculated to be 8 days, 15 hours, but we know that the storm occurred on the evening of the 11th, so we conjecture that at the flies were active at least an hour on the 11th, thus bringing our PMI to a minimum of 8 days, 16 hours. The actual PMI, which is unknown, may vary up to 12 hours more than this calculation due to weather. Students’ calculations may vary by up to a day later.

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