(a species of owlet moth (Noctuid)) Some caterpillars, after they emerge from their egg, can increase their weight by 25,000 times.

Skip to page content

Primary navigation

Maggots and murders: forensic entomology

By Martin Hall

Insects, particularly blowflies and their larvae, can provide important evidence in the investigation of a crime. Information about the size and age of blowfly larvae on a corpse can be used to identify the time, and sometimes place, of death. Martin Hall, a forensic entomologist who has worked as an expert witness on over 30 criminal cases, presents a fascinating overview of the ways in which insects can provide vital clues about a murder.

Maggots and murders PDF (116.1 KB)

Print version
Cartoon image of footprints disappearing through closing door

The Museum's smallest members of staff are our flesh-eating beetles, Dermestes maculates, who strip carcasses to the bone.