Entomology
• Forensic entomology is the study of the application of insects and other
arthropods in criminal investigation
• Insects or arthropods are found in a decomposing vertebrate corpse
• These insect colonizers can be used to estimate the time of death i.e., 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
• Different insects are attracted at different stages of decomposition of the
body. These insects follow a set pattern of development in or on the body.
• Identification of the type of insects present and their stage of development,
in conjunction with knowledge of the rate of their development, can be used
to determine approximately how long a body has been dead.
• It was found that the decomposition process was best divided into five stages on the
basis of physical appearance of carcasses, internal temperatures and characteristic
insect populations:
Fresh stage (Days 1-2)
• It begins at the moment of death and ends when the bloating of the carcass is
observed. Even though autolysis occurs at this stage gross morphological changes
do not occur at this point.
• Insects were seen attracted within the first 10 min of death to the carcass but no
egg laying (oviposition) was found during this state. Cellular breakdown occurs
during this stage without morphologic alterations.
• Even though morphological changes and odors are not obvious to humans, the
chemicals released from the cellular breakdown attracts insects even in this early
stage
• The first specimens to arrive on the corpse/cadaver are the calliphorids (blowflies).
However, the species may vary concerning zoogeographical locations and seasons.
• Eggs are generally deposited immediately after death in the daytime.
Blowflies do not normally lay eggs at night. If the body has not been moved
and only eggs are present on the body, one can assume that the duration
• of death has been about 1–2 days
Bloated stage (Days 2-7):
• Putrefaction (tissue and organ breakdown) begins at this stage. Gases
produced by the metabolic activities of anaerobic bacteria cause an inflation
of the abdomen and the carcass forming a balloon-like appearance during
the later part.
• By the fourth day, first- and early second-instar or larval stages of Diptera
were present.
• By the beginning of Day 2, several predators of Diptera larvae were also
recovered from the carcasses. Beetles such as Histerids and Staphylinides
may be attracted to the body at this stage because of fly eggs and maggots
that serve as ready meals for beetles
Active/Wet decay stage (Days 5-13):
• This third stage is recognized as an inflated and ruptured body because the
skin of the body breaks up and starts to slough from the body
• There is a steady decrease in the weight of the carcass by 10th day. There
is a conversion of carcass biomass to dipteran larval biomass. The larvae
subsequently depart from the carcass to pupate.
Post-decay stage (Days 10-23):
• The post-decay stage begins when most of the Diptera larvae leave the
carcass, leaving behind bones, cartilage, hair, small portions of tissue, and
a large amount of wet, viscous material known as byproducts of decay
(BOD). The BOD is the major site of arthropod activity during this stage
• The evidence of this stage is the conspicuous number of beetles and their
juvenile stages.
Remains stage (Days 18-90+):
• This stage is recognized by the absence of body tissues except for the hairs
and the bones. Insects found at this stage are mostly keratophagous
beetles
OTHER USES FOR INSECTS IN FORENSIC SCIENCE
• The body may have been moved after death, from the scene of the killing to
a hiding place. Some of the insects on the body may be native to the first
habitat and not the second. This will show that not only was the body moved,
but it will also give an indication of the type of area where the murder
actually took place.
• The body may have been disturbed after death, by the killer returning to the
scene of the crime. This may disturb the insects cycle, and the entomologist
may be able to determine not only the date of death, but also the date of the
return of the killer.
• The presence and position of wounds, decomposition may obscure wounds.
Insects colonize remains in a specific pattern, usually laying eggs first in the
facial orifices, unless there are wounds, in which case they will colonize
these first, then proceed down the body. If the maggot activity is centred
away from the natural orifices, then it is likely that this is the site of a wound.
For example, maggot activity on the palm of the hands indicates the
probable presence of defense wounds.
• The presence of drugs can be determined using insect evidence. There is
often not enough flesh left to determine drug presence, but maggots
bioaccumulate so an can be analyzed to determine type of drug present.
