NCJ Number
216050
Journal
Forensic Magazine Volume: 3 Issue: 5 Dated: October/November 2006 Pages: 10-12,14
Date Published
October 2006
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article "busts" three common myths about the capabilities and uses of forensic entomology (application of the study of insects to legal fact-finding).
Abstract
One myth is that forensic entomologists can determine the time when a human died based on the biological development of the particular type of insects feeding on the body at the time the body was discovered. This myth is based in the belief that forensic entomologists know the precise time that it takes for insects that feed only on deceased remains to colonize to various levels. For decades entomologists have been raising insect species of forensic importance in controlled laboratory conditions in order to document their growth rate; however, this is dependent on a number of factors, including the time it takes for the insects to find the body and temperature variations over the time since death. The inability of entomologists to measure or otherwise determine all of the factors that influence insect growth in a particular body preclude entomologists from making a precise determination of when a person died. The best they can is estimate time of death under scientifically measured (laboratory) conditions. The second myth "busted" is that insect evidence recovered from decomposing human remains can be used to detect and quantify the level of narcotics present in the body. Toxicologists working with forensic entomologists have analyzed insect evidence recovered from decomposing remains for the presence of drugs. Although some evidence is promising for certain narcotics, insect samples from human remains may not be a suitable source for quantifying them. The third myth "busted" is that forensic entomology is only concerned with death-scene investigations. The authors discuss the involvement of forensic entomologists in determining the time frame for insect contamination of food.