Forensic entomology is a little known but rapidly growing discipline that arouses curiosity of many people, evidenced by the incredible public enthusiasm for television series. However, the idea of using insects in forensic science is not new, already in 1894, Mégnin told us about the “cadaver’s fauna.” The unit of Functional and Evolutionary Entomology developed a new approach to characterize this particular cadaver ecosystem of the body, using a chemical ecology centered approach.
With several years of experience in the field of chemical ecology, the unit of Functional and Evolutionary Entomology transposed the chemo-ecological techniques to forensic science. Chemical ecology applied on decaying animals is not extensively studied, and would allow a better understanding of the interactions occurring with this particular ecosystem. Most cadaver-associated insects perceive odors by their antennae.
