Forensic Entomology and the Death Scene The dead can no longer speak for themselves. It is the job of the crime scene investigator to identify, document, collect, and preserve evidence of crimes that speak for the crime victim. In many cases, nature provides that evidence for investigators. Upon death, the body of the deceased immediately experiences physiological changes and begins the decomposition process. As the body decomposes, a common and predictable sequence of insects inhabit the body; this process is known as insect succession. Insects such as flies, wasps, beetles, and ants quickly attack the body if the deceased is not in a secure environment. Forensic entomologists identify insects from the crime scene, using accumulated degree hours (ADH) to estimate an approximate time of death. The ADH information allows forensic entomologists to estimate the time involved in developing the current stages of insect succession, in accordance with local conditions. It is the predictable p...
