author(s)
Monika, Gayatri Gujar, Avinash Kumar Chouhan, Durga Bai Sodha and Bhavana Rathore

abstract
Forensic entomology is basically the use of necrophagous insects, and their arthropod relatives that inhabit decomposing remains to aid in legal investigations. Forensic entomology can be useful to the veterinary professionals in vetero-legal cases viz. animal cruelty or illegally killed wild animals. Forensic entomology is based on the principle of determining minimum postmortem interval (PMI) by estimating the time of insect colonization, based on knowledge of the rate of development of pioneer colonizers and on insect species succession during decomposition of animal remains. Time of death can often be ascertained based on the ambient temperature and other weather conditions over the preceding days at the crime site and by correlating this information with the developmental rates of key arthropod species present on, or in, the corpse. These arthropods are typically fly larvae, some of which are important primary and secondary decomposers of animal remains. By knowing developmental biology of decomposer species at different temperatures, it often is possible to quite accurately estimate the time of death.