Res Natural - Forensic Entomology

The idea behind using insects to estimate a minimum PMI, or post-mortem interval, is based on how insects develop or grow up. Some insects, those with a so called complete metamorphosis, have immature stages whose movement is extremely limited, but have adults that are among the most mobile animals on earth. Some of these insects are specialized to develop on dead animals or carrion, including corpses. The adults fly far and wide searching for a suitable corpse. When they find one they lay their eggs. The eggs develop into larvae, white flabby eating machines that grow by eating the corpse. The larvae cannot move far, and eventually change into winged adults via an intermediate stage called the pupa. Therefore, if one collects an egg, larva, or pupa of one of these carrion insects on a corpse,, this eggs, larvae or pupa had to develop at that corpse and did not come in already formed from somewhere else. If an entomologist k

· Location on the body were removed

The blue color of the maggot on the slide is from stain, which I applied to make the hardened portions of body visible. The two dark spots on the left are the posterior spiracles, or openings to the breathing system. The hook-like structures at right are the mouth hooks and their associated internal skeleton for attachment of muscles.

These puparia are often present at a crime scene, but not collected because no one is looking for them, or because no one is looking in the right place. They are usually found in the vicinity of the corpse, not actually on it. Folds in clothing are good places to look. They may also be found up to 30 feet away from a corpse, for example in the deep pile of some carpets or in folds in curtains etc. indoors. If puparia are present at a crime scene, it is very important to find them, because they are the oldest stage one can definitely link with the body. The puparium is furnished with a cap-like lid that can be popped off by the emerging fly. The newly emerged flies are at first pale in color, soft to the touch, and with crumpled, unexpanded wings. They later expand their wings and turn green or blue. The photograph below is one of the blue varieties.

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