Forensic Entomology

Forensic Entomology: The Utility of Arthropods in Legal Investigations, third edition continues in the tradition of the two best-selling prior editions and maintains its status as the single-most comprehensive book on forensic entomology currently available. It includes current, in-the-field best practices contributed by top professionals in the field who have advanced it through research and fieldwork over the last several decades.

The use of entomology in crime scene and forensic investigations has never been more prevalent or useful given the work that can be done with entomological evidence. The book recounts briefly the many documented historical applications of forensic entomology over several thousand years. Chapters examine the biological foundations of insect biology and scientific underpinnings of forensic entomology, the principles that govern utilizing insects in legal and criminal investigations. The field today is diverse, both in topics studied, researched and practised, as is the field of professionals that has expanded throughout the world to become a vital forensic sub-discipline.

Forensic Entomology, third edition celebrates this diversity by including several new chapters by premier experts in the field that cover such emerging topics as wildlife forensic entomology, microbiomes, urban forensic entomology, and larval insect identification, many of which are covered in depth for the first time. The book will be an invaluable reference for investigators, legal professionals, researchers, practising and aspiring forensic entomologists, and for the many students enrolled in forensic science and entomology university programs.

Chapter 1. General Entomology and Basic Arthropod Biology / James L. Castner
Chapter 2. A Guide to Insects of Forensic Importance / Jason H. Byrd and James L. Castner
Chapter 3. Collection of Entomological Evidence During Death Investigations / Michelle Sanford, Jason H. Byrd, Jeff K. Tomberlin, John R. Wallace
Chapter 4. Laboratory Rearing of Forensic Insects / Jason H. Byrd and Jeffery K. Tomberlin
Chapter 5. Factors That Influence Insect Succession on Carrion / Gail S. Anderson
Chapter 6. Insect Succession in a Natural Environment / James Wallman and Melanie Archer
Chapter 7. The Role of Aquatic Insects in Forensic Investigations / Richard W. Merritt and John W. Wallace
Chapter 8. Recovery of Anthropological, Botanical, and Entomological Evidence, from Buried Bodies and Surface Scatter / Heather A. Walsh-Haney, Alison Galloway, and Jason H. Byrd
Chapter 9. Postmortem Interval Estimations / Gaétan Moreau and JP Michaud
Chapter 10. Insect Development and Forensic Entomology / Aaron Tarone and Josh Benoit
Chapter 11. The Soil Environment and Forensic Entomology / Shari L. Forbes and Ian Dadour
Chapter 12. Entomotoxicology / Michelle R. Peace
Chapter 13. Molecular Methods in Forensic Entomology / Aaron Tarone
Chapter 14. The Forensic Entomologist as Expert Witness / Robert D. Hall
Chapter 15. Livestock Entomology / Jeffery K. Tomberlin and Justin Talley
Chapter 16. Ecological Theory and Its Application in Forensic Entomology / Sherah VanLaerhoven
Chapter 17. Forensic Meteorology: The Application of Weather and Climate / John R. Scala and John R. Wallace
Chapter 18. Entomological Alteration of Bloodstain Evidence / M. Anderson Parker, Mark Benecke, Jason H. Byrd, Roger Hawks, and Rosemary Brown
Chapter 19. Keys to the Blow Fly Species (Diptera: Calliphoridae) of America, North of Mexico / Terry Whitworth
Chapter 20. Cases of Neglect Involving Entomological Evidence / Gail Anderson
Chapter 21. Acarology in Criminal Investigations: The Human Acarofauna during Life and Death / M. Alejandra, A. Perotti, and Henk R. Braig
Chapter 22. Wildlife Forensic Entomology / Gail Anderson and Jason H. Byrd
Chapter 23. Volatile Organic Compounds / Helene LeBlanc and Jonathan Cammack
Chapter 24. Forensic Entomology and the Microbiome / Eric Benbow, Jen Pechal, and Heather Jordan
Chapter 25. Urban and Stored Product Forensic Entomology / Dini Miller
Chapter 26. Larval Insect Identification / Terry Whitworth, Martin Villet, and Krzysztof Szpila
Chapter 27. The Professional History of Forensic Entomology / Rachel Mohr and Lauren Weidner