Blow flies are commonly among the first insects to arrive at a corpse. How soon do they typically arrive?

• A. Within minutes of death
• B. After several days
• C. After weeks
• D. Only after burial

Answer: (A)

Blow flies are among the first insects to exploit a corpse because they are highly sensitive to the odors released by a decaying body and can travel quickly to a recent death source. As soon as decomposition odors begin, adults detect them and can locate the carcass in a relatively short time, often within minutes in favorable conditions. Once there, they start laying eggs on exposed tissue, marking them as early colonizers in forensic investigations. The other timeframes—days, weeks, or only after burial—don’t reflect their rapid initial arrival when a body is accessible.