ABSTRACT
Forensic entomology is a continually growing and evolving field of science that applies the study of insects and related arthropods to civil and medicolegal investigations. While the association between insects and death is not a new concept, it continues to grow in application with the advent of new methodologies. A thorough understanding of the relationship between taxonomy, ecology, and insect succession is vital to the foundation of forensic entomology applications in casework. Numerous environmental variables must be evaluated when assessing entomological evidence in a forensic investigation including mechanical barriers, seasonal and environmental differences, lighting patterns, and the overall impact of temperature on an insect's rate of development. Appropriate documentation and collection of entomological evidence from a crime scene is critical for subsequent analysis, often based either on insect succession or temperature dependent development methods. Guidelines and protocols have been published by the leading forensic entomology organizations to help standardize the process of documentation, collection, and analysis of entomological evidence in a death investigation. Though morphology has historically been the method used for insect species identification, new advances in molecular technology have proven useful for identifications where morphological methods may not apply. These new molecular techniques can also serve to broaden the scope of application of forensic entomology casework to other fields of study including investigations of wildlife crime.
