Editing Forensic entomology (section)

=== Stable isotope analysis ===
A contemporary method that is being used more and more in forensic entomology to shed light on the ecology and life cycle of insects connected to human remains is stable isotope analysis. Using this technique, the stable isotopic composition of elements found in insect tissues, including carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen, is measured. The environment in which the insect developed, including its diet and place of origin, is reflected in these isotopes.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Farmer NL, Meier-Augenstein W, Kalin RM | title = Stable isotope analysis of safety matches using isotope ratio mass spectrometry--a forensic case study | journal = Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry | volume = 19 | issue = 22 | pages = 3182–3186 | date = 2005 | pmid = 16220465 | doi = 10.1002/rcm.2088 | bibcode = 2005RCMS...19.3182F }}</ref>

Stable isotope analysis provides information on the travel of the body or the insect itself, and can be used in forensic investigations to assist identify the geographic origin of insects found on a body. Furthermore, features of the insect's diet, such as whether it consumed organic matter or human remains, can be inferred by stable isotope analysis. This information can be vital to comprehending the insect's function in the decomposition process.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Wang LM, Wu H, Lin GH |date=2015 |title=Technology to Determining Geographical Origins of Traditional Chinese Medicines  |journal=Tong Wei Su |volume=28 |issue=4 |pages=225–232|doi=10.7538/tws.2015.28.04.0225 }}</ref>

When using traditional methods to identify insect species or estimate age, this methodology has proven quite helpful. Stable isotope analysis contributes to more accurate and thorough forensic studies by improving the precision and depth of forensic entomological investigations by offering a distinct chemical signature that represents the insect's surroundings.