Forensic Entomology

It is the study and application of insects and other arthropods biology related to criminal matters. Forensic entomology is one of the leading techniques which have helped the researchers and investigators to help find the criminal. This method is primarily associated with the death investigations, drug detection, and to locate the location of the incident. Arthropods like scorpion flies, flies, beetles, mites, moths, etc. are found to be most commonly observed in the investigation area. These insect colonizers can be used to estimate the time of death; time interval between death and corpse discovery, also called postmortem index (PMI), movement of the corpse, manner and cause of death and association of suspects at the death scene.

This application is becoming very important in the investigations since many other groups of professionals like police officers, entomologist and pathologist are using this technique to determine the causes of death. Forensic entomology science has been regarded as the essential part of the forensic science team including: forensic pathology, forensic botany, forensic anthropology, forensic dentistry and the crime scene technician. Forensic entomology can offer a very powerful biological tool to the criminal justice system, which can help solve mysteries and suspicions about the death of an individual. Death scene investigators know that corpse, flies and maggots go together. Where there is corpse, there is some kind of flies or maggots or both. Studying the development of the larvae of such insects, the amount of flies in the area of dead body and the environmental condition where certain species of flies are found, the researchers and entomologist can determine the cause and the time of the death. Knowledge of the biology and behavior of insects found near the body has helped the investigators to clue down the investigation and find the

Varying with the environmental conditions like temperature, rain, humidity, varieties of insects and flies have been observed in the dead body. Mainly, four categories of insects have been found on decomposing carrion: a) Necrophagous species feeding on the carrion; b) Predators and parasites feeding on the necrophagous species: this group also contains schizophagous species which feed on the body first and become predaceous on the later stages; c) Omnivorous species feeding on the carrion and other arthropods like ants, wasps and some beetles; and d) Other species like springtails and spiders which use the corpse as an extension of their environment. Mostly, in the hot and humid condition, voraciously feeding fly larvae are found. Whereas, insects like synanthropic Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy and Lucilia sericata Meigen found in Europe are mostly found in the dead corpse where the environmental condition is close to the human environment. In addition, species like the C. vicina , Calliphora vomitoria Linnaeus and L. sericata are remarkable in their ability to access concealed cadavers in dark places such as car trunks, boarded up buildings, closets, and house