Vertebrate carcass decomposition studies are typically conducted in spring, summer or autumn, when necrophagous insects are most active. But what happens if an animal dies just before the onset of colder weather and the arrival of snow? To provide preliminary answers, a domestic piglet carcass weighing 30 kg was installed in a deciduous woodland in November 2012 and studied until May 2013. The carcass was photographed and examined for insects at regular intervals. The decomposition stages normally observed during warmer seasons (i.e., fresh, bloated, active decay, advanced decay and dry/remains) were disrupted by the cold. Furthermore, because of the weather conditions, only the fresh/frozen and active decay stages of the usual first three stages of physical decay were observed. The advanced decay and dry/remains stages were not documented because the experiment ended before these occurred. In November, small numbers of 6 species of Diptera belonging to 5 families were collected from the carcass. Warmer weather in March and April increased insect activity and 8 species of Coleoptera belonging to 4 families and 21 species of Diptera belonging to 11 families were recorded, with members of the Heleomyzidae being among the first to visit the carcass.