Forensic Entomology Flashcards
what is forensic entomology?
application of insects and arthropods as evidence in a criminal investigation
Who is Sun Tzu?
Chinese death investigator who used flies to solve a murder by releasing flies into areas which drawn scent of blood
Three categories of forensic entomology
urban forensic entomology
medicolegal forensic entomology
stored-product entomology
what is urban forensic entomology?
deals with insects that affect humans and their immediate environment- pest infestations
what is medicolegal entomology?
criminal component of the legal system that involves insect remains on dead bodies
5 applications of forensic entomology
post mortem interval
determining body relocation
traumatic injury sites
possible abuse/neglect
entomotoxicology
What is post mortem interval?
time between dearth of individual and corpse discovery, from rigor mortis to livor mortis
What are necrophagous insects?
insects that feed on corpses and will feed on bodies
How are blow flies used in forensic entomology? (2)
by tracking its six stages of life cycle from egg, three larval stages, pupa and adult
at 70 degrees, each stage takes a known amount of time to complete metamorphosis
Four insects that feed on the dead
blow flies
flesh flies
carrion bettle
rove beetle
scientific name of blow flies
calliphoridae
scientific name of flesh flies
sarcophagidae
scientific name of carrion beetles
silphidae
scientific name of rove beetles
staphylinidae
when was forensic entomology first applied in court?
France in the 1800s, when insect that was found in remains of a child was submitted
what is autolysis?
when cells begin to die and enzymes start to digest
what attracts insects to decomposing bodies?
apeneumones
what four categories of insects are found on decomposing bodies?
necrophagous insects feeding on the body
predators and parasites feeding on the insects
omnivorous insects feeding on both bodies and the insects
other species using the body as its environment
How are stages of decomposition seperated?
physical appearance, body temperature, and insect population
what are the five stages of decomposition?
fresh
bloated
decay
post decay
remains
What occurs during the fresh stage? (4)
day 1-2
moment of death until bloating occurs
cell breakdown occurs and attracts insects- no egg laying at this point
no physical changes
what occurs during the bloated stage? (6)
2-7 days
putrefaction occurs
gas produced swells the body
body temperature rises
greatest attraction of insects
insect larvae begin to emerge
what occurs during the decay stage? (5)
5-13 days
body deflates
body temp rises and then drops
body mass decreases
more larvae emerges
what occurs during the post-decay stage? (3)
10-23 days
most larvae leave the body
carcass consists of bones, cartilage, tissues, hair, and byproducts of decay
what occurs in byproducts of decay?
major insect activity
what occurs during remains stage?
18-90 days
BOD dries up and bones are left
insect activity decline
How long can insects provide evidence?
up to 1 month
how is PMI measured?
by aging the larvae by weight and comparing it to thermal temperatures of the environment
How can insects and site of crime be correlated?
different species correlating with corpses are found at different habitats
How is insect species identified?
by studying its genome
what is entomotoxicology?
using insects that were feeding on a corpse to study any accumulated drugs a person may have had
How does cocaine affect larvae?
accelerates larval development
how does poison affect larval development?
delays insect colonization
Blow fly
Carrion beetle
flesh fly
rove beetle
