Forensic entomology

Question 1

Explain the fly cycle

Answer 1

Pupa to young adult to mature egg laying female to egg to 1st stage larvae to 2nd stage larvae to 3rd stage larvae back to pupa

Question 2

What are fly/beetles successions?

Answer 2

Beetle larvae posses a hard, head capsule, brown in colour and have 6 legs. Maggots are legless

Question 3

What are important species in decomposition and when do they appear?

Answer 3

Blow flies (first), Flesh flies (Early/later stages decomp), House flies (later stages decomp), Carion bettles (wet stage decomp), Clown beetles (First beetles), Rove beetles (Wet stage decomp), Skin beetles (late decomp)

Question 4

What is the accumulated degree days and how is it calculated?

Answer 4

Amount of development occurring in 1 day when temperature is 1 degree above lower development threshold. To calculate growing degree day- take ave temp-threshold temp X 24 to give ADH

Question 5

What are the achievements of Forensic entomology?

Answer 5

PMI- species succession, insect life cycle, larval weight, larval lengh, species preference, ADD

Question 6

What is circumstantial evidence?

Answer 6

Evidence that requires something to corroborate it

Question 7

What is the collection and preservation method for forensic entomology?

Answer 7

Insect net, Collection jars (different larval stages, adults flies, beetles), Kill insect/adult flies by freezer or alcohol, larvae kill by boiling, collect adults first, collect various species and various stages and preserve in 75% ethyl alcohol

Question 8

What are the limitations of forensic entomology?

Answer 8

PMI estimated on accurate temperature (may be wrong), must have insect abundance, cannot produce answers immediately, identifying maggots is hard, wrapping/graves may keep beetles away, treatment exclude insects (freezing/burial) and presence of drugs will affect