ABSTRACT
Forensic entomology is the study of insects as applied to legal problems. This Chapter concentrates on the medicolegal branch of forensic entomology. Time of death is the most common question posed to forensic entomologists, who can provide an estimate of the minimum post-mortem interval based on growth rates of insect larvae (especially maggots), as well as the semi-predictable order and timing of colonization of a dead body by various carrion insect species. Such estimates can be crucial for reconstructing timelines and events in criminal investigations. Entomologists may also be able to provide information about whether a body has been moved, and assess parasite infestations in neglected persons in care. Entomotoxicology is a sub-branch that encompasses insects as alternative toxicology specimens when maggots ingest drugs while feeding on a deceased person, and entomologists also need to be aware that some drugs can affect the timing of maggot growth. DNA analysis techniques and molecular genetics can assist insect identification and recovery of victim DNA from the guts of insects that have fed on a body.
