ABSTRACT
The laboratory-rearing of insects collected from a death scene is an integral component of the analysis of entomological evidence, and it should not be overlooked. The rearing of some insect species within a laboratory environment can prove to be an extremely difficult task, but fortunately the needs of most insects of forensic importance are easily met in captivity. Aquariums such as those previously described are recommended for use in rearing insects since their size allows for the normal larval dispersal of most species to occur, and their lightweight construction allows them to be handled with little effort. When collecting entomological evidence at a death scene, the forensic investigator is likely to encounter insect eggs. The insects of forensic importance carrion beetles are large beetles and frequently observed associated with decomposing organic material. The rearing of entomological evidence is a task not often undertaken by the crime scene technician, law enforcement agency, or medical examiner’s office during a death investigation.
