How insects are used to determine time of death?
Entomologist use different methods to determine time of death. They include methods are:
1. The development stage of insects first arrive and lay eggs: When the body dies it goes through different decomposition stages which means through different biological and physical changes. At different times different kinds of insects are attracted towards the dead body such as first insects settled on the dead body is the blowfly.
After a longer period of time many other insects also attracted to it. Blowflies settle within minutes of death and other insects settle after some time. Therefore, time of death can be known by different kinds of insects inhabited on the body at a time.
2. Kind or succession of insects on the dead body over the course of time: Life cycle stage of insects that settle on the dead body also helps to determine time of death. Life cycle of insects are: egg stage, three different larval stages, pupa stage and last is adult stage. Therefore, if it is suspected to be dead less than a month then by determining life cycle of insects will determine death of time. But if it is suspected that body is being dead month or a year then kind or succession of insects will determine death of time.
Limitations of using insects to determine time of death are:
1. Body undergoes different physical and biological changes. Therefore, weather affects the decomposition of the dead body such as summer affects the decomposition rate.
2. Temperature also affects the accuracy of determining the death of time as life cycle stage of insects will be faster at higher temperature.