Collection of Insects

Tools Used In Collection

Trowel › Used to dig up soil sample

Tools Used in Collection

Thermometer› Used to take temperature of air

and maggot mass

Tools Used in Collection

Forceps› Used to collect crawling insects

Tools Used in Collection

Secure, ventilated jars› Larvae need air to breathe until

they are reared in the lab to determine species and development rate

› Keep insects separate – will kill each other

Tools Used in Collection

Capped Specimen Jars› Contain 70% ethyl alcohol solution› Preserve specimen in order to

“stop” their biological clock

Tools Used in Collection

Portable Weather Station› Used to gather weather data for

five to seven days to establish pattern

Tools Used in Collection

Hand-net› To collect flying insects

Collection of Insects Guidelines

1. Look at fauna and test soil Why is this important?

To see if body has been moved2. Collect specimens from different

areas of the body, clothing, surrounding environment (indoor/outdoor)

3. Collect 100 maggots

Collection of Insects Guidelines

4. Collect pupae from body, clothing, hair, soil

5. Collect empty pupal cases from body, clothing, and surroundings

6. Collect adult flies7. Collect beetles

Feed on cartilage and bone of corpse

Collection of Insects Guidelines

8. Collect any other insects at scene9. Collect leaf litter near remains of

body if outdoorCollect enough to fill coffee can

10.Place all insects in vials with foodUsually use beef liver – keeps

insects alive and feeding on protein

Labeling and Exclusions

Keep insects collected from different parts of the body separate from one another› May be different species› Cannibals – will eat each other

Labeling and Exclusions

When would insects not be present on a body?

Labeling and Exclusions

When would insects not be present on a body?› If body is wrapped in plastic

Insects would not smell the corpse

› Buried deep underground › Frozen/freezing temperatures

Bugs don’t live