What Is the Job Descrription for a Forensic Entomologist?
A forensic entomologist is a modern-day Sherlock Holmes; only she solves crimes by using technology unheard of when Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created the legendary fictional detective back in 1887.
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Definition
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A forensic entomologist is an entomologist who studies insects at crime scenes to help determine the time of death, says forensic-entomology.com. Insects appear in progression on a decaying body, so time of death can be estimated by what insects are on the body when it is found.
Other Tasks
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Forensic entomologists help crime scene investigators determine such things as how blood spots came to be on a ceiling or wall, says Dr. J.H. Byrd of forensic-entomology.com. Did the blood end up there during a bloody struggle or did a cockroach walk through pooled blood on the floor and then up the wall?
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Other Titles
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Forensic entomologists are also known as forensic technicians or crime scene investigators.
Education
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A forensic entomologist usually majors in biology or zoology in college, as few colleges have undergraduate degrees in entomology, says aboutbioscience.org. He may also take courses in criminal justice.
Employment
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Forensic entomologists usually work for law enforcement agencies. Entry-level salaries are about $29,000 per year, with experienced forensic entomologists making more than $70,000 annually, according to aboutbioscience.org.
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- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Bruno Monteiro
