ForensicSpot9 modules
Forensic Entomology
Insects in death investigation: decomposition and succession, postmortem interval estimation, collection and rearing, entomotoxicology, molecular ID, and testimony.
- 54hours
- 28topics
- 9modules
Module 16 hrs3 topics
Foundations
What forensic entomology answers, its history and landmark cases, and its three branches: medicolegal, urban and stored-product.
Start module- Introduction and Scope of Forensic EntomologyForensic entomology uses insects as legal evidence, most powerfully to estimate the postmortem interval, practiced across death investigation worldwide.13 min
- History of Forensic Entomology and Landmark CasesFrom Song Ci's 1247 fly experiment in China to the 20th-century laboratory revival, forensic entomology traces eight centuries of documented cases.14 min
- The Three Branches: Medicolegal, Urban, Stored-ProductForensic entomology has three branches: medicolegal (PMI), urban (structural neglect), and stored-product (food contamination), each with distinct methods.13 min
Module 26 hrs3 topics
Insects of Forensic Importance
Insect biology and taxonomy for the entomologist, the flies that arrive first, and the beetles and other insects of the later waves.
Start module- Insect Biology and Taxonomy for the Forensic EntomologistInsect anatomy, development, and classification form the foundation that lets an entomologist place a species and read its developmental stage at a scene.13 min
- Flies of Forensic Importance: Blow Flies and Flesh FliesBlow flies and flesh flies are the most reliable early colonisers of human remains; identifying them precisely is the first step in any PMI estimate.12 min
- Beetles and Other Insects of Forensic ImportanceBeetles, mites, and moths take over as decomposition moves into the dry phase, extending the entomologist's reach beyond the early blow-fly window.14 min
Module 36 hrs3 topics
Decomposition and Succession
The cadaver as a changing habitat, the predictable succession of colonisers, and the blow fly life cycle from egg to adult.
Start module- Decomposition Stages and the Cadaver as a HabitatA corpse passes through five decomposition stages, each creating a distinct chemical and physical environment that attracts a different insect community.12 min
- Insect Succession Waves on a CorpseInsects colonise a decomposing body in predictable waves, and the succession record allows PMI estimation beyond what larval age alone can provide.12 min
- The Blow Fly Life Cycle: Egg to AdultThe blow fly moves through egg, three larval instars, dispersal, pupal, and adult stages on a temperature-dependent timeline central to PMI estimation.13 min
Module 46 hrs5 topics
Postmortem Interval Estimation
The principles of PMI, the thermal-summation model and degree days, larval-age diagrams, the successional method, and the sources of error.
Start module- Estimating the Postmortem Interval: PrinciplesThe postmortem interval and the minimum PMI differ in a precise, practically important way; this topic covers both core estimation methods and their limits.13 min
- Temperature, Accumulated Degree Days and Degree HoursThe thermal-summation model converts temperature records into accumulated degree days or hours, the currency used to predict blow fly development rates.14 min
- Larval Age and Development: Isomegalen and Isomorphen DiagramsLarval length and weight change predictably with temperature and age; isomegalen and isomorphen diagrams let an analyst read larval age directly.13 min
- The Successional Method of PMI EstimationWhen larval age cannot reach back far enough, entomologists read the full insect community as their clock to infer time since death.14 min
- Sources of Error and Uncertainty in Entomological PMITemperature error, maggot-mass heat, drugs, ecology, and concealment all add uncertainty to PMI estimates, separating a defensible figure from false precision.17 min
Module 56 hrs4 topics
Collection and Rearing
Collecting entomological evidence at the scene and at autopsy, preservation and chain of custody, and rearing immatures to an identifiable adult.
Start module- Collection of Entomological Evidence at the SceneA practical guide to collecting insect evidence at a death scene: what to sample, killing versus rearing splits, and why temperature logging matters too.13 min
- Collection at Autopsy and from the BodyHow to systematically collect insect evidence during autopsy, covering body regions, clothing, the body bag, and documenting maggot masses beforehand.11 min
- Preservation, Labelling and Chain of CustodyHow to kill, fix, and store insect samples, label containers for traceability, and keep a chain of custody distinct from general evidence handling.11 min
- Rearing Immature Insects to the Adult StageRearing collected larvae to adult emergence is necessary for species ID, requiring the right containers, temperature control, and development records.13 min
Module 66 hrs2 topics
Entomotoxicology
Detecting drugs and poisons in carrion insects, how they alter development, and using insects as alternate samples for toxicology and DNA.
Start module- Entomotoxicology: Drugs and Poisons in Carrion InsectsEntomotoxicology examines how drugs and poisons accumulate in carrion insects and alter development, correcting PMI when tissue is no longer available.15 min
- Insects as Alternate Samples for Toxicology and DNAWhen decomposition removes conventional specimens, insects on the body carry the victim's DNA and chemical history through larval crop contents and blood meals.17 min
Module 76 hrs3 topics
Specialised Sub-fields
Aquatic entomology and submerged remains, urban entomology and neglect, and stored-product entomology and food contamination.
Start module- Aquatic Forensic Entomology and Submerged RemainsHow aquatic insects colonise submerged bodies, which indicator species carry the most evidential weight, and how submersion alters the PMI calculation.14 min
- Urban Entomology: Neglect, Myiasis and Living VictimsForensic entomology applied to living victims: diagnosing myiasis in neglect cases and what insect evidence reveals in elder and child abuse investigations.15 min
- Stored-Product Entomology and Food ContaminationHow insects infest stored food, how entomologists identify infestation source and age for contamination litigation, and the regulatory framework involved.16 min
Module 86 hrs2 topics
Molecular Entomology
DNA barcoding for species identification, and using insect population genetics to infer geographic origin and body movement.
Start module- Molecular Identification of Forensically Important InsectsDNA barcoding and other molecular tools identify blow flies, beetles, and other postmortem insects from damaged or fragmentary specimens where morphology fails.14 min
- Population Genetics and Geographic Origin from InsectsPopulation genetics applied to forensic insects can reveal whether a body was moved by comparing insect haplotype signatures to known regional baselines.14 min
Module 96 hrs3 topics
Casework, Court and Quality
How a case is worked end to end, presenting PMI ranges as an expert witness, and the standards, error rates and quality that underpin the field.
Start module- Forensic Entomology Casework and Scene InterpretationHow a forensic entomologist works a real case from scene arrival through lab analysis, integrating insect evidence and avoiding wrongful-PMI reasoning traps.13 min
- The Forensic Entomologist as Expert WitnessHow a forensic entomologist turns casework into a court-ready report and testimony, framing PMI ranges honestly and communicating uncertainty to a jury.13 min
- Standards, Error Rates and Quality in Forensic EntomologyThe professional bodies, guidelines, and proficiency testing that define quality assurance, and why thin error-rate data still challenges court admissibility.13 min