The distinct and species-specific chemical compounds found on the insect cuticle have demonstrated effectiveness in various applications, including species identification. Accurate identification of fly species becomes challenging when only damaged empty puparial cases are available, making it difficult to use traditional morphological and molecular identification methods. This study aimed to analyze the chemical compositions of puparial exuviae from three forensically and medically important fly species; Lucilia sericata, Chrysomya albiceps, and Chrysomya marginalis. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC–MS) was employed to assess the chemical profiles of these exuviae and evaluate their accuracy in identifying Dipteran insects. The study revealed the presence of twelve classes of chemical compounds across the three species, with retention times ranging from 18.78 to 35.03. A total of forty-two compounds with chain lengths ranging from C12 to C45 were identified. The profiles of Ch. albiceps and L. sericata displayed similarities, with alcohol being the most abundant compound (28.6%) in L. sericata. However, alkanes, including n-alkanes, branched alkanes, and cycloalkanes, constituted the main components of the cuticles in the three species, with Ch. marginalis displaying the highest percentage. These findings represent an initial step towards utilizing hydrocarbon composition as a practical tool for distinguishing between forensic species in Egypt.

Background: Coleoptera is the second-most significant insect group associated with decomposing carcasses, yet its role in the decomposition process and postmortem colonization following envenomation is poorly understood. Purpose of the Study: This study aimed to investigate the effects of the venoms from Cerastes cerastes and Naja haje on the decomposition of rabbit carcasses while evaluating the main beetle taxa attracted to these decaying remains. Methods: Three groups of rabbits, each with five individuals, were utilized. The first group was injected with the venom of Cerastes cerastes, the second with Naja haje venom, and the control group received 0.85% physiological saline before euthanasia with CO₂. Results: Four decomposition stages (fresh, bloating, decay, and dry) with durations varying based on venom type and carcass condition were observed. A total of 647 individual beetles of six species (Necrobia rufipes, Attagenus sp., Dermestes frischii, D. maculatus, Bledius sp., and Apentanodes sp.) belonging to four families (Cleridae, Dermestidae, Staphylinidae, and Tenebrionidae) were collected and identified. D. maculatus was the most abundant species. Fewer beetles were attracted to carcasses envenomed with N. haje compared to the other groups. Conclusions: Envenomation by snake venom influences the attraction and succession rate of necrophilous coleopterans to carcasses, which is important for forensic investigations.

Background: Studying insect succession on carcasses is important in estimating the postmortem interval. This study aims to identify the decomposition stages of decomposing rabbit carcasses and to find out the relationship between seasonal variations and abundance of insects colonizing rabbit carcasses at El-Sharkia Governorate, Egypt. Methods: Three domestic rabbits (weighing 1300 g each) were killed by a sharp knife. The carcasses were exposed to the sun, left to decompose and inspected twice daily at 6-h intervals to collect insects. Maggots were collected and reared. Results: The rabbit carcasses underwent four decomposition stages: fresh, bloat, decay and dry stages. The identified families and their respective collected species included three dipteran families: Calliphoridae (Lucilia sericata, Chrysomya megacephala, and Chrysomya albiceps), Sarcophagidae (Sarcophaga argyrostoma) and Muscidae (Musca domestica and Synthesiomyia nudiseta), three coleopteran families. Histeridae (Saprinus semistriatus), Cleridae (Necrobia rufipes) and Dermestidae (Dermestes frischii and Attagenus gloriosus) and three hymenopteran families: Chalcididae (Brachymeria femorata), Vespidae (Vespa orientalis) and Formicidae (Monomorium sp.). Carrion fauna was dominated by dipteran and coleopteran species, with calliphorid and sarcophagid flies found to play a significant role in carrion consumption process. Conclusion: The succession pattern and decomposition rate were season dependent. The information collected may help establish the basic database for entomological forensic investigations in the future. Graphical

Entomological warfare has been known since ancient civilizations used insects to spread disease among enemies. Advances in science and technology have enhanced the potential for using insects as vectors for viruses and toxins in warfare, including both traditional methods and new innovations like genetic engineering. This review aims to: (i) explore the historical and contemporary roles of insects in biological warfare; (ii) examine the ethical, legal, and ecological challenges associated with this form of warfare; and (iii) outline historical uses of insects as weapons, from releasing disease-carrying mosquitoes to creating genetically modified insects. It highlights the complexities of legal and ethical frameworks governing entomological warfare and potential environmental impacts. While insects offer unique advantages as biological agents, their use in combat raises significant ethical and environmental concerns. Therefore, there is an urgent need for international cooperation and regulatory oversight to ensure responsible and ethical applications of entomological warfare technologies.

Population genetic patterns and changes in allele frequency within blow flies can provide valuable insight into population structure, diversification, dispersal, gene flow, and population assignments. The population genetic structure of the oriental latrine blow fly, Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius), was investigated using amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLP). The goal was to validate the use of this technique to create genetic profile data and determine it is feasibility for inferring postmortem relocation of corpses. The AFLP technique generated 590 polymorphic loci for C. megacephala. Analysis of molecular variation (AMOVA) found significantly high genetic variation within individuals of all fly populations, with little variation among populations from different geographic locations. STRUCTURE and principal coordinate analyses (PCoA) revealed no population structure based on geography, with weak correlation between genetic and geographic distances, and moderate temporal differentiation was noted among C. megacephala samples. Across the entire data set, the mean relative relatedness coefficients were positive, suggesting that flies arriving at the same bait (carcass) share nonrandom proportions of alleles and comprise of closely related individuals. Genetic assignment of C. megacephala flies to a putative source population resulted in a 90.81% success rate, indicating the possibility of using these flies to connect sites between which a corpse had been moved even in the absence of overall geographic population structure.