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.
On maggots and murders: forensic entomology PDF (116.1 KB)
Our scientists study the snails that host the schistosomiasis parasite, which causes a disease that affects nearly 200 million people.