in my findings. Following the forensic identification people to the body, we move along the "path of contamination" which is the route police use to minimize chances of trampling evidence at the scene (this is the approach least likely to have been taken by the perpetrator). The body is an adult male lying face down, head through the bottom of rusted wire fencing and shrubbery.
    "I need access to the head, that's where blow flies usually first lay eggs" I say. The forensics snip wire and vegetation from around the head. I set to work sampling for insect larvae, taking the temperature of each collecting site first. I take samples of larvae and place them on bite-sized pieces of raw beef liver, effectively initiating rearing procedure.
    About one-half of the larvae will be reared to adult flies. I plunge several larvae from each sample into scalding water for a few minutes, then transfer the specimens into 80% ethanol. By killing some of the maggots I have effectively frozen the moment in time.    "Is this a bullet hole?" I inquire. Sure enough. The coroner has already been to the scene and pronounced the death, but forensics needed time to work the scene before body removal and autopsy which I will also attend. Suddenly, there is a flurry of activity as they photograph anew the body. I stand aside, my own work temporarily placed on hold.

Forensic investigation is hardly an unknown field to the insurance industry. However, an area that seems to garner little attention in claim investigation procedures is forensic entomology - which could save insurers and insureds millions of dollars. Bug investigations? You have to be kidding. But, as the following case study reveals, insects can reveal many secrets in the process of claims investigation.

There is a suspicious death: human remains are discovered on the edge of a wood bordering a meadow. A municipal crew came across the corpse while collecting garbage. Police observed fly larvae  (maggots)   associated  with the

decomposing remains. The forensic identifier at the scene telephones me. I arrive at the police command post and before anyone can comment, I say "no thanks, I don't want to know when you think he died". I need to remain objective

CANADIAN UNDERWRITER / October 2000