This document provides an introduction to forensic entomology. It discusses what entomology and forensic entomology are, and the importance of forensic entomology in determining things like time of death. It describes the biology of insects and those of forensic importance like blow flies and beetles. It discusses the life cycles of these insects and how the stages of decomposition relate to insect succession on a corpse. It covers how to collect entomological evidence and factors that can affect insect development, which is important for using insects to estimate time of death.

1. An Introductionto Forensic Entomology
BY:-
TEJASVI BHATIA

2. What Is Entomology
Forensic Entomology
Importance
Biology of Insects
Insects of Forensic Importance
Life Cycle of Fly
Stages of Decomposition
Entomological Succession
Factors Affecting Development of Insects
Collection And Preservation of Insects
References
Contents

3. What is Entomology ?
Entomology is the study of
Insects
(Entomon-insect, logos- science)
Entomology is the study of
Insects
(Entomon-insect, logos- science)

4. What is Forensic Entomology ?
Forensic entomology is the application
of the study of insects and other
arthropods to legal issues, especially in a
court of law.

5. Importance
When did the death take place?
Where did the death occurred?
Whether the death occur due to
poison ?

6. Biology of Insects
 Insect characteristics (based
on the adult form)
Three distinct body regions
 Jointed legs (3 pairs)
 Antennae (1 pair)
 Wings (0-2 pair)

7. Body Regions
 The insects body is
differentiated into 3
regions:
Head,
 Thorax
 Abdomen

8. Corpse associated arthropod classes
 Necrophages Species
 Sarcosaprophages (Calliphoridae)
 Coprophages (Muscidae)
 Dermatophages (Dermestidae)
 Necrophagous- Predaceous
Species (Blow fly larvae)
 Predaceous Species (Histeridae)
 Parasitic Species (Endoparasitic wasp)

9. Insect of Forensic Importance
INSECTS
FLIES
OTHERSBEETLES
Eg.:- Blow Fly
Flesh Fly
Eg.:- Carrion Beetles
Rove Beetles
Eg:-Venomous Arthropods
Scavengers

10. Blow Flies
There are various types of blow
flies found on corpse out of which
blue bottle flies and green bottle
flies are most common.
They belong to family
Calliphoridae
Blue Bottle Fly Green bottle fly

11. Life Cycle of Blow Fly

12. Flesh fly
 Belong to family Sarcophagidae
 This family’s latin name means “flesh
eating”
Sarcophaga haemorrhoa
Ravinia lherminieri

13. Beetles
Belong to family Coleoptera.
There are various types of beetles :
carrion beetles (Silphidae) and rove
beetles (Staphylinidae)
They can be Predacious,
Scavengers, few being parasitic
American Carrion Beetle
(Necrophila americana)
Hairy Rove Beetle
(Creophilus maxillosus)

14. Life cycle of Beetles

15. Stages of decomposition

16. Entomological Succession
In ecology, succession is defined
as the temporal sequence of
colonization and
species replacement or addition
that occurs after a site is
disturbed .
Insect arrive at the corpse in
predictable sequence depending
on the stages of decomposition.
This is called insect succession.

18. Succession of insects generally
follows a similar pattern at the
family level, but there are
variations at the genus and species
levels with respect to differing
geographical locations.
Forensic entomology ‘works’
because succession is a very
predictable and consistent event.

19. Collection of entomological
evidences

20. Climatologically and temperature data
 Ambient air temperature
 Maggot mass temperature
 Ground surface temperature
 Temperature between body and surface
 Temperature of soil underneath body
 Weather data from 1-2 weeks prior
including rainfall and maximum and
minimum temperatures

21. Collection: Before Body Removal
Insects Vials
Storage Box

22. Collection at Crime Scene: Larvae

23. Collection : After Body Removal
 Collect preserved and
living samples
 Collect soil samples
 Collect 2-3 inches of top
soil
 Collect soil sample from
under ,adjacent to and up
to 3 ft from the body.
 All samples placed in
cardboard container for
shipment

24. Factors affecting rate of development of insects
Temperature (which can depend on
geographical location, indoor or outdoor
exposure, sun or shade, time of day and
season)
Heat generated by the ‘maggot mass’
Food source (tissue type, e.g. liver, heart,
lungs)
Various toxins
Burial or other obstructions (e.g. plastic
sheets, water) that hinder access and egg-
laying by adult insects.

25. Effect of Temperature

26.  Byrd Jason H, Castner J.L. (2000) ,
Forensic Entomology: The Utility of
Arthropods in Legal Investigation ,CRC
Press USA, 1-120
 Smith Kenneth G.V, (1986) ,A Manual of
Forensic Entomology, Imaca New york
Comstock Uni.Press, USA,1-55
 Nuorteva Pekka,(1977), Forensic Medicine
Physical Trauma, Vol. 2, Wardsons & sons
Ltd., 1072-1095
 Siegel jay A.(2007),Forensic science the
basics,taylor & francis group (CRC press)
pg.291-300
References

27. References
http://images.google.co.in/imgres?imgurl=http:/
/www.amentsoc.org/images/forensic-body-
outline.jpg&imgrefurl=http
http://www.insectinvestigations.com
http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/entomology/topics
/forensic.htm
www.cals.ncsu.edu/.../forensic_entomology.ht
ml
http://www.forensicentomology.com/
http://www.bio.bris.ac.uk/research/insects/for
ensic.html

28. THANK YOU