Forensic Entomology

Forensic entomology is a way to help criminal investigators solve a crime. Saferstein (1941) summarises forensic entomology to be the study of insects to help aid a criminal investigation. Although forensic entomology seems to be a recent technique it has actually been used in criminal investigation since as early as the thirteenth century. Sung Tzu (13th century) tells that when a farmer was murdered by a sickle in China during the 13th century, everyone was asked to show their sickles who could have committed the murder but they were all clean. However a great number of flies were attracted to one sickle in particular, the man who owned this sickle thought it was a sign from God and confessed. Nevertheless forensic entomology has fundamentally

This is because different insects land on the body at different stages of decomposition, therefore allowing the investigator to know the time of death of the body found. As well as determining time of death, forensic entomology is also used for wound identification, to recognise if the body has been disturbed, in abuse and neglect cases and to tell if drugs or toxins are present in the body. Since different insects have different preferences to the age of the flesh certain insects are present at certain times. The blowfly is the first insect to arrive and can be there almost straight after death as they like to feed off fresh flesh, this is also preferred by flesh flies and ants. While the

Some wounds can be very small and the investigator may not always notice them therefore missing valuable evidence that could help solve the crime. However with the help of insects this is minimised because most of them can spot a wound as small as a needle prick to lay their eggs in. The eggs are then noticed by the investigator and all the wounds are accounted for. However insects don’t always help aid in criminal investigations they can also destroy evidence making it harder to get answers. They are attracted to open wounds and blood so can therefore distort the shape of some wounds making it more difficult to identify the weapon used to create that wound. The types of bugs present can also indicate a disturbance of the body. If insect were found in a body in the countryside that were usually located in urban areas that would indicate the body had been moved after the person was injured or killed. (Fraser 2015, Per Comm) “…the presence of a species on the remains that does not fit the scenario in which the remains have been found may indicate that the body has been moved, while also suggesting the likely scenario of the original death scene” (Anderson 2005, page.145). So not only can they tell the investigator the body has been moved but they can convey where it has come from as well. Insects found on a deceased body can also tell the investigator if drugs or toxins were present in the