Indoor arthropods of forensic importance: Insects associated with indoor decomposition and mites as indoor markers

Abstract

It is not surprising with the great diversity of arthropods that some members have evolved to take advantage of the sheltered habitat that we provide or to take advantage of us and our products. Anthropophilic arthropods like cockroaches (Blattodea), silverfish (Thysanura), house flies (Diptera) and house and dust mites (Acari) have moved their habitat inside human dwellings to become part of the human biocenose. These arthropods, however, do not directly depend on humans. Synanthropic insects like filth flies, biting midges, no-see-ums, punkies, mosquitoes (Diptera) feed off humans directly through blood sucking or off excrements and garbage produced by humans. Some of these insects have adopted an endophilic lifestyle entering our homes to feed and rest. Like some stored product pests, some of the hematophagous insect species have lost their natural or peridomestic habitat and have become entirely dependant on domestic harbourage and humans. Forensic implications can be found in any area of entomology or acarology associated with human habitation. Forensic entomology is receiving much attention (Byrd and Castner 2010; Erzinçlioʇlu 2002; Gennard 2007; Goff 2001; Greenberg and Kunich 2005; Gunn 2009; Hall and Huntington (2010); Hall and Haskell 1995).