Developing forensic entomology practice in Ireland: Case applications and operational considerations

Forensic entomology is valuable in legal investigations for estimating the minimum post-mortem interval (minPMI) by insect species and their lifecycles on decomposing remains. While forensic entomology is well established in central-northern Europe and the UK, it has been rarely practiced in Ireland due to a lack of demand and practical expertise. Office of the State Pathologist (OSP) provides the national forensic pathology service; however specialised forensic entomology services are outsourced and instructed on a case-by-case basis. A collaboration was established between the OSP, Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin) and University of Strathclyde over the past two years. This collaboration enabled the application of forensic entomology to 10 death investigations across Ireland during May and June 2024. This professional practice report presents entomological data collected under similar environmental conditions and represents an early step in the development of forensic entomology practice in Ireland. Necrophagous Diptera are the most important insects in forensic entomology particularly flies from family Calliphoridae. Species such as Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830, Lucilia sericata (Meigen, 1826), Musca domestica Linnaeus, 1758 and Fannia canicularis (Linnaeus, 1761) were identified in the 10 forensic Irish cases, and their developmental stages were used to estimate minimum PMI. Environmental details including temperature of the indoor or outdoor location and body coverings (e.g. clothing, blankets) were recorded. This study provides baseline information on forensically important species in Ireland and demonstrates the application of existing developmental data to Irish casework, supporting the future development of forensic entomology practice in Ireland.