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THE ROLE OF ENTOMOLOGY IN FORENSIC INVESTIGATIONS

Written by Katherine Steck-Flynn (2003)

Prologue

This paper is intended for use by police and other emergency personnel who have occasion to be in contact to the recently and not so recently deceased. When first introduced I will mention the scientific name of the various species of insects which colonize bodies after death. After the first mention I will use the common name which is easier to both remember and pronounce.

All too often insect evidence is accidentally destroyed be emergency personnel who fail to realize the importance of this evidence. This author has personally witnessed well meaning emergency personnel shooing away insects and maggots at a scene. I have even observed emergency personnel stomping on maggots as they attempt to flee from the activity around the body. Education in the proper collection and preservation procedures is essential.

Personnel should be aware of the behavior of maggots. They should be able to recognize the types of insects normally associated with a body. They should be able to recognize evidence of insect activity such as beetle frass (Bryd, 2001), and pupal casings (Erzinclioglu, 2000).
Introduction

Insects (Arthropods) are everywhere. There are so many of them that each species has developed a unique niche in which to breed and feed. This is what the Forensic Entomologist hopes to take advantage of. Each species comes with a unique and predictable set of environmental conditions under which they can and will grow and thrive. To know the conditions in which a particular species will live is to know the history of the corpse they are living on or near.

Insects and the Time of Death Question

When used in conjunction with other standard methods insect evidence can be used to estimate the Post Mortem Interval(PMI). This term is more accurate than referring to 'Time of Death' since the exact time of death is difficult to impossible to predict(Erzinclioglu 2000).

The most commonly used and widely known method of determining the PMI is use of temperature readings. Temperature is used to calculate how many degrees from normal body temperature the body has dropped. There are several problems with this method. The temperature of a body is affected by many variables such as the circumstances of death, the environmental conditions, whether the deceased took drugs or whether the deceased struggled.(Baden and Hennesse, 1989) Bodies also cool at various rate according to weight and fitness

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