Bell Forensic Entomology Vocab

HOSA FORENSICS Entomology based on the bell vocab terms

Algor mortis

Postmortem cooling of the body used to estimate time since death

Rigor mortis

Postmortem stiffening of muscles caused by chemical changes after death

Livor mortis

Postmortem pooling of blood that causes discoloration of the body

Forensic entomology

The use of insects and other arthropods in legal investigations, especially death investigations

Medicolegal entomology

The branch of forensic entomology dealing with deaths, abuse, and neglect cases

Elapsed time since death (ETSD)

The amount of time that has passed since a person died

Minimum elapsed time since death (mETSD)

The shortest possible time that has passed since death based on insect evidence

Diptera

The insect order containing true flies

Blow flies

Metallic blue, green, or black flies that are usually the first insects to colonize a corpse

Carrion

Dead animal tissue used as a food source by scavengers and insects

Circadian rhythm

An internal biological clock that regulates daily activity patterns

Diurnal

Active during the daytime and inactive at night

Colonization

The process of insects arriving at and occupying a corpse

Larva (maggot)

The immature feeding stage of a fly

Instar

A developmental stage between molts in insect growth

First instar

The first larval stage after hatching from the egg

Second instar

The second larval stage after the first molt

Third instar

The third larval stage and usually the largest feeding stage before pupation

Molt

The shedding of an insect's outer covering to grow into the next stage

Puparium

The hardened outer case surrounding a fly pupa

Pupa

The non-feeding developmental stage during which a larva transforms into an adult

Pupation

The process of forming a pupa

Metamorphosis

The transformation from immature insect stages into an adult

Crop

A food-storage organ in a maggot's foregut

Maggot mass

A large aggregation of feeding maggots that generates heat

Morphological identification

Identifying a species based on physical characteristics

Developmental data

Information describing how quickly an insect develops under different temperatures

Weather station data

Meteorological records used to estimate temperatures at a crime scene

Data logger

A device used to record environmental conditions such as temperature over time

Regression analysis

A statistical method used to estimate crime scene temperatures from weather station data

Successional colonization

The predictable sequence of insect species that colonize a decomposing body over time

Tenure

The length of time insects have occupied a corpse

Decomposition

The breakdown of a body by biological, chemical, and physical processes

Mummification

Preservation of a body through drying rather than decomposition

Puparial case

The empty shell left behind after an adult fly emerges from the puparium

Cast larval skin

The shed outer skin left behind after a larva molts

Habitat

The environment in which an organism normally lives

Microclimate

Local environmental conditions that may differ from the surrounding area

Wound site colonization

The tendency of flies to lay eggs in wounds before natural openings

Orifice

A natural body opening such as the mouth, nose, ears, or anus

Defense wounds

Injuries sustained while attempting to protect oneself from attack

Entomotoxicology

The study of drugs, poisons, and toxins in insects feeding on remains

Bioaccumulation

The buildup of toxins within an organism's tissues over time

DNA analysis

The examination of genetic material for identification purposes

Host DNA

DNA originating from the organism on which an insect feeds

Blood-feeding insects

Insects that consume blood, such as mosquitoes, fleas, and bed bugs

Frass

Insect excrement or feces

Myiasis

The infestation of living vertebrates by fly larvae feeding on tissue

Necrotic tissue

Dead or dying tissue on a living organism

Mechanical transmission

The physical transfer of pathogens from one location to another without biological development

Maggot debridement therapy (MDT)

The medical use of sterile maggots to remove dead tissue from wounds

Granulation

The formation of new connective tissue during wound healing

Allantoin

A healing compound produced by maggots that promotes tissue repair

Wildlife crime

Illegal activities involving wild animals, including poaching and trafficking

Animal cruelty

Abuse, neglect, or mistreatment of animals

Game warden

A law enforcement officer responsible for enforcing wildlife laws

Chigger

The larval stage of a trombiculid mite that feeds on vertebrates

Locard's Exchange Principle

The principle that contact between two objects results in the transfer of material between them