Issue date: 1/26/05 Section: News

SOURCE: http://insects.tamu.edu; Graphic By: Gracie Arenas

A good police officer does not ignore flies or mosquitoes at a crime scene because insects can be hints that lead to the truth.

Using insects in forensic investigations, a practice known as forensic entomology, is now offered in class at Texas A&M by the department of entomology as a track option in the undergraduate program of entomology.

Jim Olson, an entomology professor at A&M who teaches the forensic entomology classes, said the track, which was approved in November, has attracted 80 students from 20 majors.

"The key thing is that insects can help determine how long a corpse has been present at a location it was found and therefore decide the time of the death," Olson said.

The overall response to the course has been overwhelming. Rebecca Hapes, a senior academic adviser at the department, said the Office of Admissions received more than 300 requests for forensic entomology courses.

Pete D. Teel, professor and associate head for academics in the department of entomology, said TV programs such as CSI have triggered students' interests in forensics. He said the growing application of forensic entomology on the state and federal levels and by institutes such as the FBI indicated job opportunities in forensic entomology.

Olson said forensic entomology can reveal the time of a person's death - critical information in a criminal investigation. He said blowflies - a type of green fly - can show up around a corpse within minutes because they are sensitive to decomposed organic waste. Olson added that scientists collect flies of different stages of growth from a corpse.

The oldest stage of flies can help scientists determine how long the flies have stayed with the corpse. And, he said that if the corpse was moved from the scene of the crime, the oldest stage of flies would reveal the time of death.

Olson said the science of forensic entomology can also tell if a corpse has been relocated, as insect species are restricted to a given region. He said that if a corpse is moved the insects would not match the ones in the current environment and could indicate where the original crime scene was.

Olson said insects can also carry human DNA, allowing corpses to be matched to missing persons or suspects bitten by an insect to be matched to crime scenes. Olson cited a study by Jack Hayes, a professor at the University of Texas School of Public Health in San Antonio, who exposed part of his replaced liver to the mosquitoes. Hayes discovered that the DNA found in the mosquitoes matched his DNA, Olson said.

At the end of Olson's class, each student will be assigned to a fake crime scene containing the necessary materials to conduct an investigation. The students will then be required to go to a mock trial to be cross-examined by lawyers on both sides.

Sonia Kjos, a graduate student in entomology, was enrolled in the forensics entomology class before the new track was created.

"The purpose of this class is to make every student in the class accountable for (his or her) investigation," Kjos said.

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