December 13
That is NOT a Rice Krispy …
FORENSIC ENTOMOLOGY
The study of insects and
their arthropod relatives
that interact with legal
matters.
Lyndsay Durham, MEd
Department of Forensic Science
It is based on the analysis
of insects sequentially
colonizing a corpse as
decomposition progresses
and on the developmental
stages of their offspring.
Material Copyright, L. Durham
December 13
Material Copyright, L. Durham
History of
FORENSIC ENTOMOLOGY
December 13
History of
FORENSIC ENTOMOLOGY
 First actual case: 1235AD.
The Washing Away of Wrongs
Mateu Orfila
1787-1853
Father of Modern Toxicology
 Spontaneous generation of maggots
in meat was disproved in 1668.
First systematic observations of
insect successions on human
cadavers (1848)
 First published account in 1855 in
the West (France).
December 13
Material Copyright, L. Durham
History of
FORENSIC ENTOMOLOGY
Applications
1828 - 1905
Estimation of PMI
Wrote a series of articles (1883 – 1896)
that made the information accessible
Material Copyright, L. Durham
Material Copyright, Lyndsay S. Durham
Material Copyright, L. Durham
Scope of
FORENSIC ENTOMOLOGY
Jean Pierre Megnin
Wrote the founding works of
modern forensic entomology:
Fauna of Tombs (1887)
Fauna of Cadavers (1894)
December 13
December 13
Determination of death location
Criminal Misuse
Scene characterization
Abuse of young & elderly
DNA Analysis
Toxicological
specimens
December 13
Material Copyright, L. Durham
1
December 13
Three Areas in
FORENSIC ENTOMOLOGY
 URBAN
 STORED
PRODUCT
 MEDICOCRIMINAL/
December 13
MEDICOLEGAL
Material Copyright, L. Durham
December 13
Material Copyright, L. Durham
Blow Fly Life Cycle
Adult (30 days)
Egg Mass (1 day)
Pupae (7 days)
Male
Larvae (6 days)
Material Copyright, L. Durham
December 13
December 13
Photo courtesy of JHByrd
Material Copyright, L. Durham
Material Copyright, Lyndsay S. Durham
Gravid Female
December 13
Material Copyright, L. Durham
December 13
Material Copyright, L. Durham
2
December 13
December 13
Material Copyright, L. Durham
December 13
Material Copyright, L. Durham
December 13
Material Copyright, L. Durham
December 13
Material Copyright, L. Durham
December 13
Material Copyright, L. Durham
Material Copyright, Lyndsay S. Durham
3
December 13
Cochliomyia macellaria
FLY SPECIES
Warm, sunny
2 Main Species Used to Estimate PMI
JHB
JHB
Phaenicia sericata
1. Blow Flies – Calliphoridae
2. Flesh Flies - Sarcophagidae
Calliphora vicina
Warm, sunny
Cool, shade
JHB
Lucilia illustris
Warm, sunny
JHB
JHB
Chrysomya rufifacies
Phormia regina
Tropical, sunny
Cool, shaded
JHB
JHB
December 13
Material Copyright, L. Durham
JHB
Material Copyright, L. Durham
Forensic Insect Identification Cards
December 13
Forensic Insect Identification Cards
DISPOSITION OF OVIPOSITION
 Flies will be attracted
to natural orify
FIRST:
Eyes, ears, nose,
mouth
JHB
JHB
Musca domestica
Sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis
Attracted to excrement
Summer, shade
December 13
Material Copyright, L. Durham
 In the event of
anti-mortem
trauma, flies
will be attracted
to wounds and/or
the genitalia
December 13
Material Copyright, L. Durham
Forensic Insect Identification Cards
…bugs…
How can insects
be used as an
alternative source
for toxicological testing
How drugs affect
the life cycles
of insects
December 13
The study of the adverse effects of drugs and chemicals
on the body and their application to the law.
Conventional specimens
Alternative specimens
Brain
Blood
Urine
Kidney Liver
Vitreous Humor
Bile
Bone
Gastric Contents
Skeletal Muscle
Hair
Nails
Insects
…drugs…
ENTOMOTOXICOLOGY
FORENSIC TOXICOLOGY
Material Copyright, L. Durham
Material Copyright, Lyndsay S. Durham
December 13
Material Copyright, L. Durham
4
December 13
The Pupae
The Larvae
December 13
Can be ground and
analyzed like any
postmortem tissue
from the body
Drugs get deposited
into the skin/puparial
casing of the larvae
When collecting
samples for tox
analysis, do not place
in preservative fluid.
Can be analyzed
in the same manner
as hair
Material Copyright, L. Durham
December 13
Material Copyright, L. Durham
DNA EXTRACTION
SUMMARY
Larvae and pupae can be used as a
toxicological specimen
The gut content of
insects can be properly
extracted for DNA
analysis
The entomologist needs to be informed if
an individual had any drugs on board so
he or she knows if and how the time since
death estimation should be adjusted
The database for understanding the
interactions between drug and insect is
currently being developed
December 13
Material Copyright, L. Durham
December 13
JHB
Material Copyright, L. Durham
A: green/shiny
B: grey, 3 black stripes
C: dull grey, multiple
black stripes
Material Copyright, Lyndsay S. Durham
5