FREE online courses on the Basics to Forensic Entomology - Analyzing the
crime scene
To make the most use of entomological evidence at a crime
scene, an experienced and well-trained forensic entomologist should do the
collecting at the scene. The exact procedure at the crime scene varies with the
type of habitat, but in general we can divide the work of the forensic
entomologist in five parts.
- Visual
observation and notations at the scene.
-
Initiation of climatologically data collection at the scene.
-
Collection of specimens from the body before body removal.
-
Collection of specimens from the surrounding area (up to 6 m from the body)
before removal of the remains.
-
Collection of specimens from directly under and in close proximity to the
remains (1 m or less) after the body has been removed.
Observation on insect activities at the crime scene may be
useful, because the entomologist is trained in a different science than the
crime scene investigators. An entomologist will probably observe elements that
the investigators will ignore (and vice versa).
