How do forensic entomologists use the life cycle of flies to estimate the time since death?

By analyzing the developmental stages of flies (egg, larva, pupa, adult) and considering environmental factors like temperature, entomologists can backtrack to estimate when the insects first colonized the body.

Explain how temperature affects the development of insects and how this is considered when estimating PMI.

Insects develop faster in warmer temperatures and slower in colder temperatures. Forensic entomologists must consider the temperature at the crime scene and the body temperature to accurately estimate the insect development rate and PMI.

Forensic Science and the Heart

8th Grade•90 minutes

Learning Objective

I can describe how forensic scientists analyze heart-related evidence in criminal investigations.

Key Concepts

Forensic entomologists use insects as "tiny witnesses" to help provide justice to victims by analyzing insect activity on and around a body.

The post-mortem interval, or PMI, is the time between the moment of death and the identification of a dead body.

Estimating the PMI relies on analyzing the life cycle of flies and other insects, as their development from egg to adult can be predicted based on environmental conditions such as temperature.

Practice Questions

This lesson includes 12 practice questions to reinforce learning.

View questions preview

1. What is the main role of a forensic entomologist in a criminal investigation?

2. What does PMI stand for, and why is it important in forensic investigations?

3. Why are traditional methods of determining time of death, such as rigor mortis, algor mortis, and livor mortis, less reliable after 72 hours?

...and 9 more questions

Educational Video

How Entomologists Use Insects to Solve Crimes | WIRED

WIRED

Learning Objective

Key Concepts

Practice Questions

Educational Video

Create Your Own Lesson