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)
