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Section Symposium

Medical, Urban, and Veterinary Entomology

Increasing Societal Impacts of Forensic Entomology: Standardizing Practices and Novel Applications

Steps towards a simplified pictorial key to third instar blow fly larvae (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

Tuesday, November 12, 2024
8:25 AM – 8:45 AM MST
Location: Phoenix Convention Center, 130, PCC
Oral Presentation
Proper identification of insect evidence is the first step forensic entomologists must take towards providing timelines to aid in death investigations. Due to the difficult nature of differentiating the immature stages, a live sample of larval evidence is typically reared to adulthood to make identification easier. However, the condition of larval evidence when it arrives to the entomologist varies widely since many crime scene technicians are not properly trained in processing entomological evidence. While there are other methods to identify these poorly-prepared live samples, most require destructive techniques which can be problematic when working with evidence. To date very limited morphological keys exist, and those that do exist are not inclusive of all relevant species. This talk will detail efforts to develop a comprehensive pictorial key to aid in non-destructive identification of third instar calliphorid larvae.