http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=4YTUcmIKM1A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7JtKGqJxU0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIXweDteiSo

The Process Of Decay

Forensic Entomology

What is Forensic
Entomology ?
It is the interpretation of entomological
evidence to help resolve a criminal or civil
investigation
The investigation of insects and other
arthropods recovered from crime scenes
and corpses.
The use of insects that inhabit
decomposing human remains to aid legal
investigations.

Entomology is
the Study of
Insects

Insect Biology
Insects are the most diverse and abundant
forms of life on earth.
There are over a million described speciesmore than 2/3 of all known organisms
There is more total biomass of insects than
of humans.
Larva have a soft tubular body and look
like worms. Fly species larvae are
maggots

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x
yXezzemVvs

Succesion
Colinisers
Anaerobic bacteria
thrive in lactic
conditions
Found in the gut
and breed freely

Blow flies
Sensitive to smell
of dead organisms
Can arrive within
minutes of dead
Attracted by
moisture and smell
of body ofifices and
open wounds

Lay eggs
Maggots hatch and
start feeding on
tissues
Burrow deeper down
Maggots pupate,
turn into flies and
the cycle starts over
The soft tissues
liquify

Blowflies

Carcass Beetles

Lay eggs on body as their larvae feed on the

maggots

Parasitic Wasps
Lay their
eggs in the
fly and beetle
larvae

Coffin Flies

As the body dries out

cheeses flies and coffin
flies arrive

The body becomes too dry for

maggots
Beetles with strong chewing
mouthparts are more common,
feeding on connective tissue and
muscle

Mites

And moth larvae feed on

the hair until only dry bone
are found

Image:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/visibleproofs

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
G3_658mAMsw

Decay Rates Are Variable

Studies of decay rates of 150 human corpses
at in the Anthropological Facility in Tennessee
(The Body Farm)
Most important environment factors in corpse
decay:
Temperature warmer = faster decay
Access by insects
Depth of burial buried deeper takes longer to
decay

Other Factors

Chemical-- embalming agent, insecticides, lime, etc.

Animals disrupting the corpse

 http://video.nationalgeographic.com
/video/player/science/health-humanbody-sci/human-body/body-farm-sci.h
tml

Five Stages of Decomposition Fueled

by Insect Activity.

Fresh
Bloat
Decay
Post-decay
Dry (skeletal)

Fresh
Begins at death
Flies begin to
arrive
Temperature falls
to that of the
ambient
temperature.
Autolysis, the
degradation of
complex protein
and carbohydrate
molecules, occurs.

Bloat
Swells due
to gases
produced
by bacteria
Temperatur
e rise of the
corpse
Flies still
present

Decay
Gases subside,
decomposition fluids
seep from body.
Bacteria and
maggots break
through the skin.
Large maggot
masses and extreme
amounts of fluid.
Unpleasant odor
Larvae beginning to
pupate.
Corpse reduced to
about 20% of its
original mass.

Post-Decay
Carcass reduced to
hair, skin, and
bones.
Fly population
reduced and
replaced by other
arthropods.
Hide beetles are
dominant in dry
environments.
Mite and predatory
beetle populations
increase.

Dry (Skeletal)
Does not always occur especially if
corpse is in a wet region. Maggots will
stay longer and hide beetles will not
appear.
In wet environments the hide beetles are
replaced with nabid and reduviid insects.
The corpse is reduced to at least ten
percent of the original mass.
In the last stage (Skeletal Stage), only
bone and hair remain.

 ACTIVE TEACH BOOK VIDEO

Putrefaction
1. GIT micro-organisms multiply, invade
and colonise the body

2. Skin becomes greenish and marbled

by haemolysis

The cadaver swells as gas producing

bacteria multiply producing bloating
which may rupture the body cavities.

Odour of decay begins. The change in body

odour attracts insects, especially Diptera
to the cadaver.

Putrefaction
5. Exposed skin blackens (black
putrefaction)
6. Body collapses as gas escapes
7. The internal organs loose integrity and
become liquefied
8. The integrity of the GI tract is lost and
purge fluid oozes out of the body
orifices

Putrefaction
9. Skin and hair can begin to be lost (Decay
odour at this point is very strong)
10.Cadaver starts to dry out; exposed skin
becomes leathery
11.Butyric fermentation produces a cheesy
odour
12.Remaining body parts are subject to
extensive mould growth
13.Dry decay then sets in
14.Skeletonisation.