The building she grew up in didn’t allow any, but she realised that as long as the creatures she adopted were small and discreet, she could get away with it.

One of her first pets, then, was a snail that lived in an empty chocolate box. She graduated to spiders, much to her mother’s displeasure; then hamsters (by this time her building had amended its norms).

“As a city girl I was not exposed to much nature, so the little animal lover in me was always curious and never afraid of touching the bugs that were around,” says Magni.

Chasing more of this connection, she learnt to scuba-dive and decided she would be a marine biologist. It was while studying the natural sciences that she picked entomology as an elective and, in 2001, stumbled into forensic entomology. For her, the subject unlocked a new level to how nature works.

“What fascinated me was not the study of insects per se, but the fact that the knowledge on these creatures could be used for the greater good. For justice,” she says. “I thought of all the crime novels I had read, and how a forensic entomologist could have done so much to solve the cases but didn’t, because there wasn’t one. That’s what I wanted to be.”

Today, Magni is associate professor of forensic science at Murdoch University in Perth, and is known as Australia’s “bug whisperer” for her role in helping crack suspicious-death cases using evidence provided by insects.

“My job stinks,” says Magni, laughing, as she compares her reality with depictions on crime-scene-investigation shows, including ones that she has consulted on. “In reality, we don’t have much time for make-up and heels. We are sweating it out in our hazmat suits looking more like seals.” Excerpts from an interview.

What was your first time at a crime scene like?

I was still a student, and I was nervous. I was scared I would do something stupid. Now, after all these years, the worry is different. I am more focused on how my previous experiences should not affect my current investigation. I want to be sure that I look at everything with a fresh perspective.

Do you find it hard, to do what you do?

I haven’t always been as unsettled by highly emotional cases such as those involving children or pregnant women. But, in all honesty, once I had my two daughters, my perspective changed. Sometimes, it is now hard to stay focused and objective. Certain cases keep me from sleeping at night — highlighting how important it is to have a good support system and mental health awareness for people within this industry.

We also have a huge responsibility, as our work can change the course of several lives. We always have to be at our best.

Does the work affect your personal and social life too?

I can’t always tell people what I’m working on out of respect for the victim and the confidentiality of the process. But in general, when people find out I work in “forensics”, there are two types of reactions: some are immediately put off by the details, and the others go, “Tell me more, tell me more...”.

The nature of the job itself is so unpredictable, you could be needed on the field at any moment. I remember having to leave a wedding to investigate a crime scene once. Luckily, Italian weddings are as long as Indian ones, so I made it back in time for cake.

What’s the biggest challenge you face in your field right now?

The research is very dynamic. For example, in entomotoxicology, you use insects to identify drugs in the body. But every day, new drugs are being made from scratch. It feels like a never-ending chase, where we are trying to catch up to the bad guys. But, just like in the movies, it always feels like the bad guys have more money to invest in research.

If not this profession, what would you have picked?

I once considered studying animal reproduction. I was fascinated by embryology. I guess it’s ironic… Death plays such a big role in what I do. Perhaps it covers my interest in the circle of life.