Forensic Entomology
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What are the four characteristics of arthropods?
• are invertebrates (no internal skeleton) • have jointed appendages • have an exoskeleton made of chitin • have at least 6 legs
Describe the 3 types of forensic entomologists: Urban:
Diagnose problems with infestations that occur in man made structures and landscape plants
Describe the 3 types of forensic entomologists: Medicocriminal:
Deals with criminal investigations; helps determine the PMI (post mortem interval) and time since colonization; also deals with cases of abuse involving insects
Describe the 3 types of forensic entomologists: Stored Product:
Deal with infestations that occur in the production and storage of “consumables” like food products and mass-produced items (like toilet paper).
Define the following: Post mortem interval (PMI):
the time since death when the body was immediately accessible to insects when death occurred
Define the following: Time Since Colonization:
Calculated when the body was NOT accessible to insects when death occurred. (think of a body kept in a freezer that is then later dumped in a forest environment)
Define the following: Larvae (Maggot):
Worm like, wingless stage that hatches from an egg laid by an insect
Define the following: Invertebrate:
A species that does not have an internal skeleton; has an exoskeleton made of chitin
Define the following: Pupa:
Developmental stage between larvae (instars) and the adult insect
Define the following: Molt:
How an invertebrate grows; sheds its exoskeleton between instars
Define the following: Instar:
Stage of maggot/larvae development between molts
Define the following: Ambient temperature:
The temperature of the immediate surroundings of the body
Define the following: Oviposit:
How a female insect lays her eggs
Define the following: Carrion:
Dead, decomposing flesh. Won’t be consumed by carnivores or blow flies. Preferred by carrion beetles
How many instars does the blow fly have?
3
What is the first species of insect to arrive at a dead body?
Blow Fly
What is the second species of insect to arrive at a dead body?
Beetle
Soil samples should be collected up to —- feet away from the body so as not to miss any pupa casings.
20 ft
True or False: Forensic entomology can apply to aquatic environments as well as land.
True
What are the last types of insects to colonize a dead body?
Moths, gnats and other species of flies (not blow flies)