Stage 6: Dry decay - 50-365 days after death
The pig has been reduced to hair and bone. Photo: R. Major
State of decay
The body is now dry and decays very slowly. Eventually all the hair disappears leaving the bones only.
Insect activity
Animals which can feed on hair include tineid moths, and micro-organisms like bacteria. Mites, in turn, feed on these micro-organisms.
They remain on the body as long as traces of hair remain, which depends on the amount of hair that covers the particular species. Humans and pigs have relatively little hair and this stage is short for these species.
Movies
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Further information
- Corpse Fauna
- Succession of different fauna that inhabit the corpse
- Cheating the decomposers
- Time is variable
Copyright © Australian Museum 2003
