Many species of insects are known to be associated with carrion and impacts greatly on the decay rate as well as provide useful data on the mode and time taken for death of that organism. In this study, the diversity of insect associated with the different stages of decomposition, the effect of insects’ presence on the decay rates due to difference in mode of death and some climatic factors that influence the rate of decay of toad (Amietophrynus regularis) and guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) were assessed at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) Science Botanical gardens. Six guinea pigs and six toads were killed by drowning in sea water in a plastic container and the others by chloroform soaked in cotton wool. Results obtained when carrions were exposed to insects while others were placed in an insect free cages indicated approximately 14 species and 461 adult insects associated with the carrions. Oecophylla sp was the most abundant representing 256 (55.51%) with Piophila sp being the least (0.65%). It was also found that it is the presence of insects alone, via the consumption or the feeding behavior on the carcass by maggots that accelerate decomposition. Tukey statistics at 95% CI showed a significant difference between the number of insects and average ambient temperature (ËÃ?â??Ã?Å¡C), while no significant difference was observed between number of insects and average relative humidity (%) in ANOVA. Temperature and relative humidity influenced the stages of carcass decay and insect activity and abundance. These results show that necrophagous insect are important in carcass decay and therefore can contribute to forensic entomological studies especially within the tropics
