Entomology
is the Study
of Insects
• Insects are the most diverse and abundant
forms of life on earth.
• There are over a million described species-
more than 2/3 of all known organisms
• There is more total biomass of insects than of
humans.
• Insects undergo either incomplete or complete
metamorphosis (Egg to larva to pupa to insect)
• The larva have a soft tubular body and look like
worms. Fly species larvae are “maggots”
WHAT IS FORENSIC ENTOMOLOGY?
• Forensic Entomology is the use of insects
and other arthropods that feed on decaying
remains to aid legal investigations.
MOST IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTAL
FACTORS IN CORPSE DECAY
• Temperature
• Access by insects
• Depth of Burial
“The Body Farm”
Forensic Entomology is used to determine time
since death (the time between death and corpse
discovery)
This is called postmortem interval or PMI).
Other uses include
movement of the corpse
manner and cause of death
association of suspects with the death scene
detection of toxins, drugs, or even the DNA of
the victim through analysis of insect larvae.
FORENSIC ENTOMOLOGY IS APPLIED
BIOLOGY
When an animal dies, female insects will be
attracted to the body. They enter exposed
orifices or wounds and lay eggs or larvae.
ECOLOGY OF DECOMPOSITION
Necrophages - the first species feeding on corpse
tissue. Includes rue flies and beetles.
Omnivores - species such as ants, wasps, and some
beetles that feed on both the corpse and associated
maggots. Large populations of ominvores may slow
the rate of corpse’s decomposition by reducing
populations of necrophagous species.
Parasites and Predators - beetles, true flies and wasps
that parasitize immature flies.
Incidentals – pill bugs, spiders, mites, centipedes that
use the corpse as an extension of their normal habitat
FORENSIC ENTOMOLOGY:
FLIES
Sarcophagidae - flesh flies
•Adults lay larvae on decaying flesh
•Some of the first insect to reach a corpse
Calliphoridae – blowflies
•Different species have different habits –
light vs. dark, urban vs. rural
•All have larvae that feed on corpses
•Also one of the first to arrive
BLOWFLY LARVAE
FORENSIC ENTOMOLOGY:
FLIES
Strateomyidae – soldier flies
• Larvae feed on human excrement and
remains
• Are found late in decomposition process
Phoridae – humpbacked flies
• Larvae feed on decaying bodies
• Some species can burrow to a depth of 50cm
over 4 days
• Important in buried bodies
FORENSIC ENTOMOLOGY
CARRION BEETLES
Silphidae – Carrion beetles
•Buries small carcasses
•Adults feed on maggots
and carrion
Female Carrion Beetle and
Kangaroo Rat
Rat will be completely buried and eggs laid
upon it.
FORENSIC ENTOMOLOGY:
BEETLES
Staphylinidae – rove beetles
•Arrive a few hours after a death
•Are active throughout decomposition process
Dermestids – Carpet beetle
•Larvae and adults feed on dry skin and hairs
Histeridae – Hister beetles
•Found in bloated, decay, and early drying stages
•Both larvae and adults feed on maggots and puparia
HISTER
BEETLE
S PREY
ON
BLOWF
LY
LARVAE
Image: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/visibleproofs
FIVE STAGES OF DECOMPOSITION FUELED
BY INSECT ACTIVITY.
1. Fresh
2. Bloat
3. Decay
4. Post-decay
5. Dry (skeletal)
1. FRESH
• Begins at death
• Flies begin to arrive
• Temperature falls to that of the ambient temperature.
• Autolysis, the degradation of complex protein and carbohydrate
molecules, occurs.
2. BLOAT • Swells due to
gases
produced by
bacteria
• Temperature
rise of the
corpse
• Flies still
present
3. DECAY
• Gases subside, decomposition fluids seep from body.
• Bacteria and maggots break through the skin.
• Large maggot masses and extreme amounts of fluid.
• Unpleasant odor
• Larvae beginning to pupate.
• Corpse reduced to about 20% of it’s original mass.
4. POST-DECAY
• Carcass reduced to hair, skin, and bones.
• Fly population reduced and replaced by other
arthropods.
• Hide beetles are dominant in dry environments.
• Mite and predatory beetle populations increase.
5. DRY (SKELETAL)
• Does not always occur especially if
corpse is in a wet region. Maggots
will stay longer and hide beetles
will not appear.
• In wet environments the hide
beetles are replaced with nabid and
reduviid insects.
• The corpse is reduced to at least ten
percent of the original mass.
• In the last stage (Skeletal Stage),
only bone and hair remain.
INTERESTING AND TRUE …
Maggot therapy is much more commonly used
in Great Britain and Europe than in the U.S.
There have been about 25,000 treatments in
Great Britain since 1995.
Ronald Sherman, M.D. is the pioneer of maggot
therapy in the U.S. He is located at U. of Calif.,
Irvine.
Maggots Cleaning Up a Wound
Associated with an Amputation
The End
