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@article{178502,
        author = {Y. M. Bhosale and R. S. Kale and Ratnakar Subhash More},
        title = {A Study of Forensically Important Insects in Chalisgaon, Jalgaon, Maharashtra},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2025},
        volume = {11},
        number = {12},
        pages = {8521-8527},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=178502},
        abstract = {This study presents the first comprehensive documentation of forensically important insects in Chalisgaon, Jalgaon district, Maharashtra, India, to establish regional baseline data for forensic entomology. Over one year, insect specimens were collected from diverse habitats using sweep netting, pitfall traps, light traps, and direct sampling from carrion. Morphological identification and statistical analyses revealed 27 species across 5 orders (Diptera: 73%, Coleoptera: 21.7%, Hymenoptera: 2.4%, Lepidoptera: 1.1%, Blattodea: 0.8%) and 12 families. Calliphoridae (Diptera) dominated (54%), with Chrysomya megacephala (17.2%) and C. rufifacies (15.8%) as the most abundant species. Seasonal variations significantly influenced insect abundance: Diptera peaked during monsoon (45.2 ± 4.1 individuals), while Coleoptera thrived post-monsoon (15.4 ± 1.7). Temperature and humidity strongly correlated with Diptera colonization (r = 0.78 and 0.65, respectively), whereas rainfall negatively affected Coleoptera (r = -0.39). Succession patterns aligned with decomposition stages—Calliphoridae and Sarcophagidae colonized fresh remains, while Staphylinidae and Dermestidae dominated advanced decay. Biodiversity indices indicated highest diversity post-monsoon (Shannon-Wiener H’=2.83; species richness=25). These findings underscore the importance of regional insect succession data for accurate postmortem interval estimation in forensic investigations. Future research should integrate molecular techniques for species identification and assess developmental rates under varying environmental conditions to enhance forensic applications in Maharashtra.},
        keywords = {Forensic entomology, Insect diversity, Decomposition stages, Diptera, Coleoptera, Calliphoridae, Postmortem interval (PMI), Species succession, Necrophagous insects.},
        month = {June},
        }