Entomology Flashcards
what do forensic entomologists do?
apply their knowledge of entomology to provide information for criminal investigations
what does their job include?
identification of insects at various stages of their life (eggs, larva, pupa, adults), collection and preservation of insects for evidence, determining PMI, testifying in court to explain insect related evidence found at crime scene.
what is PMI?
post mortem interval
define PMI
the time between death and the discovery of the body
what do they do to find PMI
using insect evidence, weather conditions, location and condition of the body
scientific name for flies?
diptera
scientific name for beetles?
Coleoptera
why is a species succession important?
some prefer to feed on a fresh corpse while others prefer one thats been dead for two weeks. (important for finding PMI)
how do they find weather data?
temperature of the air, ground surface, interface area between the body and the ground, soil under the body, temperature inside maggot mass, daily temperature, precipitation.
what is weather data used for?
analyzing insect evidence from a corpse
what factors could affect an entomologists estimate of PMI?
if the body was in an enclosed area (no insects can get in), if other insects were present that can affect the development of collected species, drugs or other poisons on the body that might have affected larvae development.
what are the first insects to arrive at a dead body?
blow flies
how long until blowflies arrive
arrive within minutes death
what is the life cycle of a blow fly?
egg, larva, pupa, adult
where do adult flies lay eggs?
on the carcass (nose, mouth, ear, any hole)
eggs hatch into…? and in how long?
they hatch into larva in 12-24 hours.
how do larvae go from instar to instar?
shed their exoskeletons (molt)
desribe first instar
5mm long after 1.8 days
describe 2nd instar
10mm long after 2.5 days
describe 3rd instar
14-16mm long after 4-5 days
after the 3rd instar the larvae develop into what?
the larvae (17mm) develop into pupa after burrowing in the soil surrounding the corpse
how long until adult flies emerge from the pupa?
6-8 days
when fly emerges from the pupa can they fly?
no, they have to dry their wings first.
name 4 types of flies
blow flies, house fly, flesh fly, cheese skipper
what do carrion beetles eat and when do they arrive
fly larvae and they arrive first
what do rove beetles eat
fly eggs
what do clown beetles eat
fly eggs
what do ham & checkered beetles eat
flies, beetles and dead tissue
what do skin beetles eat
dried skin and tissues
what do hide beetles eat and when do they arrive
they eat whatever is left and are last to arrive
