ברצוננו להודות לקרן אמריקה וודאפון, ביל ומלינדה גייטס, וסאו פאולו קרן המחקר (FAPESP) למימון מחקר זה. כמו כן, אנו רוצים להודות לחברי סגל רבים מהמחלקה לאנטומולוגיה באוניברסיטת קליפורניה, ריברסייד, לעצתם על הפרויקט הזה.

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P., Rosenblatt, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Multivariate+k-nearest+neighbor+density+estimates.">Multivariate k-nearest neighbor density estimates.</a> Journal of Multivariate Analysis. 9 (1), 1-15 (1979).</li><li>Benedict, M., Robinson, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+first+releases+of+transgenic+mosquitoes+an+argument+for+the+sterile+insect+technique.">The first releases of transgenic mosquitoes an argument for the sterile insect technique.</a> TRENDS in Parasitology. 19 (8), 349-355 (2003).</li><li>. Supporting Materials Available from: <a target="_blank" href="https://sites.google.com/site/insectclassification">https://sites.google.com/site/insectclassification</a></li><li>Chen, Y., Why, A., Batista, G., Mafra-Neto, A., Keogh, E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Flying+Insect+Classification+with+Inexpensive+Sensors.">Flying Insect Classification with Inexpensive Sensors.</a> Journal of Insect. 27 (5), 657-677 (2014).</li></ol>

החוקרים מצהירים כי אין להם אינטרסים כלכליים מתחרים.

מסגרת חיישן / הסיווג המתואר כאן מאפשרת סיווג הזול וניתן להרחבה של חרקים מעופפים. דיוקי השגה על ידי המערכת טובים מספיק כדי לאפשר הפיתוח של מוצרים מסחריים ויכולים להיות כלי שימושי במחקר האנטומולוגי. היכולת להשתמש בחיישנים זולים, ל?...

הרעיון של סיווג אוטומטי של חרקים באמצעות הקול הנלווה של הטיסה שלהם שתחילתה בימים הראשונים של מחשבים וציוד זמין מסחרי הקלטת אודיו 1. עם זאת, התקדמות מועטת נעשתה על בעיה זו בעשורים שחלפו. חוסר ההתקדמות במרדף הזה ניתן לייחס לגורמים קשורים כמה. ראשית, חוסר חיישנים יעילים הפך את איסוף הנתונים קשה. רוב המאמצים לאסוף נתונים השתמשו מיקרופוני אקוסטי 2-5. מכשירים כאלה רגישים במיוחד לרוח רעש ורעש הסביבה בסביבה, וכתוצאה מכך הנתונים מאוד דלילים ואיכות נמוכה. שנית, הרכבה בעיות איכות נתונים אלה היא העובדה שחוקרים רבים ניסו ללמוד מודלים סיווג מאוד מסובכים, במיוחד רשתות עצביות 6-8. מנסה ללמוד מודלים סיווג מסובכים, עם עשרות בלבד של דוגמאות,הוא מתכון להתאמת יתר. שלישית, בקשיים של נתוני קבלת יש משמעות דבר כי חוקרים רבים ניסו לבנות מודלים סיווג עם נתונים מאוד מוגבלים, כמה כמו 300 מקרים 9 או פחות. עם זאת, ידוע כי לבניית מודלים סיווג מדויקים, יותר נתונים הוא טובים יותר 10-13. עבודה זו מתייחסת לכל שלושת נושאים. אופטי חיישנים (ולא אקוסטי) ניתן להשתמש כדי להקליט את &quot;קול&quot; של טיסת חרקים ממטרים, עם invariance מלא לרוח רעש וקולות סביבה. חיישנים אלה אפשרו ההקלטה של ​​מיליון מקרי אימון שכותרתו, הרבה יותר נתונים מאשר כל המאמצים הקודמים בשילוב, ובכך לסייע במניעת מאמצי מחקר הקודמים אשר הטריד הולם מעל. שיטה עקרונית מוצגת להלן, המאפשרת שילוב של מידע נוסף למודל הסיווג. מידע נוסף זה יכול להיות כיומיומי וכפי שקל להשגה כמו בזמן של היום, אך עדיין לייצר רווחים משמעותיים ברמת דיוק של המודל. לבסוף, הוא הוכיח כי הכמויות עצומות של נתונים שאספנו תאפשר לנו לנצל את &quot;יעילות בלתי סבירה של נתונים&quot; 10 לייצר מסווגים פשוט, מדויקת וחזקה. לסיכום, סיווג חרקים מעופף עבר מעבר לטענות המפוקפקות שנוצרו במעבדת המחקר וכעת הוא מוכן לפריסה בעולם האמיתי. החיישנים והתוכנה שהוצגו בעבודה זו יספק לחוקרים ברחבי העולם כלים חזקים כדי להאיץ את המחקר שלהם.

<table><tbody><tr><td>Audio recorder: ICD-PX312</td><td>Sony</td><td>4-267-065-11(2)</td><td>With a 8 GB microSD extra memory</td></tr><tr><td>Insectary</td><td>Lee&#039;s Aquarium &amp;amp; Pet Products.</td><td>20088 HerpHaven&amp;reg;, Large Rectangle</td><td>14 1/2&quot; long x 8 3/4&quot; wide x 9 3/4&quot; high. Modified to house insects.</td></tr><tr><td>Laser line generator, 650 nm (red)</td><td>Apinex (www.apinex.com)</td><td>LN60-650</td><td>5 mW. This is a low powered laser, similar to a teacher&#039;s laser pointer</td></tr><tr><td>Photodiode array</td><td>VISHAY SEMICONDUCTOR&amp;nbsp; TEFD4300&amp;nbsp; PIN PHOTODIODE, 650NM, 20DEG, T1</td><td>TEFD4300</td><td>We made a custom array of 15 of these photodiodes wired in parallel.</td></tr><tr><td>Analogue to digital convertor integrated circuit</td><td>Custom made in our lab</td><td></td><td>We made this item ourselves, but an easily available commercial product, Gino PCF8591 AD/DA Converter, provides the same functionality.</td></tr></tbody></table>

flying insect detection and classification with inexpensive sensors

מערכת זולה, לא פולשנית שיכול במדויק לסווג חרקים מעופפים תהיה ההשלכות חשובות למחקר האנטומולוגי, ולאפשר לפיתוח יישומים שימושיים רבים בוקטור והדברה עבור שתי אנטומולוגיה הרפואית וחקלאית. לאור זאת, שישים השנה האחרונה ראתה את מאמצי מחקר רבים שהוקדשו למשימה זו. עד כה, עם זאת, אף אחד ממחקר זה יש לו השפעה ארוכת טווח. בעבודה זו, אנו מראים כי חיישנים אופטיים פסאודו אקוסטי יכולים לייצר נתונים מעולים; כי תכונות נוספות, שניהם פנימיים וחיצוני לחרק טיסת התנהגות, ניתן לנצל כדי לשפר את סיווג חרקים; שגישת סיווג בייס מאפשרת ללמוד ביעילות מודלים סיווג, כי הם מאוד חזקים כדי הולמים מעל, ומסגרת סיווג כללית מאפשרת לשלב מספר שרירותי של תכונות בקלות. אנו מדגימים את הממצאים בניסויים בקנה מידה גדולה שמגמדים את כל העבודות הקודמות COMBIנד, כפי שהיא נמדדת על ידי המספר של חרקים ומספר המינים נחשבים.

שני ניסויים מוצגים כאן. עבור שני הניסויים, הנתונים המשמשים נדגמו באופן אקראי מתוך מאגר הנתונים המכילים למעלה מ 100,000 אובייקטים. הניסוי הראשון מראה את היכולת של מסווג הציעו לסווג במדויק מינים / מינים שונים של חרקים. כדיוק הסיווג תלו...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Flying Insect Detection and Classification with Inexpensive Sensors at JoVE.com

Flying Insect Detection and Classification with Inexpensive Sensors

הצענו מערכת שמשתמשת בחיישנים זולים, לא פולשנית פסאודו אקוסטי אופטיים באופן אוטומטי ומדויק לאתר, לספור, ולסווג את חרקים מעופפים המבוססים על קול הטיסה שלהם.

טיסה חרקים באיתור ובסיווג עם חיישנים זולים

An inexpensive, noninvasive system that could accurately classify flying insects would have important implications for entomological research, and allow ...

flying-insect-detection-and-classification-with-inexpensive-sensors

Research

JoVE Journal

Bioengineering

25.0K Views.  University of California, Riverside.  הצענו מערכת שמשתמשת בחיישנים זולים, לא פולשנית פסאודו אקוסטי אופטיים באופן אוטומטי ומדויק לאתר, לספור, ולסווג את חרקים מעופפים המבוססים על קול הטיסה שלהם. 

Video: Flying Insect Detection and Classification with Inexpensive Sensors

Early Metamorphic Insertion Technology for Insect Flight Behavior Monitoring

Early Metamorphosis Insertion Technology (EMIT) is a novel methodology for integrating microfabricated neuromuscular recording and actuation platforms on insects during their metamorphic development. Here, the implants are fused within the structure and function of the neuromuscular system as a result of metamorphic tissue remaking. The implants emerge with the insect where the development of tissue around the electronics during pupal development results in a bioelectrically and biomechanically enhanced tissue interface. This relatively more reliable and stable interface would be beneficial for many researchers exploring the neural basis of the insect locomotion with alleviated traumatic effects caused during adult stage insertions. In this article, we implant our electrodes into the indirect flight muscles of Manduca sexta. Located in the dorsal-thorax, these main flight powering dorsoventral and dorsolongitudinal muscles actuate the wings and supply the mechanical power for up and down strokes. Relative contraction of these two muscle groups has been under investigation to explore how the yaw maneuver is neurophysiologically coordinated. To characterize the flight dynamics, insects are often tethered with wires and their flight is recorded with digital cameras. We also developed a novel way to tether Manduca sexta on a magnetically levitating frame where the insect is connected to a commercially available wireless neural amplifier. This set up can be used to limit the degree of freedom to yawing &#8220;only&#8221; while transmitting the related electromyography signals from dorsoventral and dorsolongitudinal muscle groups.

We present a novel surgical procedure to implant electrodes in Manduca sexta during its early metamorphic stages. This technique allows mechanically stable and electrically reliable coupling with the neuromuscular tissue to study flight neurophysiology dynamics. We also present a novel magnetic levitation platform for tethered studies of insect yaw.

מותמרים החדרת טכנולוגיה מוקדמת לניטור התנהגות החרקים טיסה

Early Metamorphosis Insertion Technology (EMIT) is a novel methodology for integrating microfabricated neuromuscular recording and actuation platforms on ...

Behavior

Measuring the Flight Ability of the Ambrosia Beetle, Platypus Quercivorus (Murayama), Using a Low-Cost, Small, and Easily Constructed Flight Mill

The ambrosia beetle, Platypus quercivorus (Murayama), is the vector of a fungal pathogen that causes mass mortality of Fagaceae trees (Japanese oak wilt). Therefore, knowing the dispersal capacity may help inform trapping/tree removal efforts to prevent this disease more effectively. In this study, we measured the flight velocity and duration and estimated the flight distance of the beetle using a newly developed flight mill. The flight mill is low cost, small, and constructed using commonly available items. Both the flight mill arm and its vertical axis comprise a thin needle. A beetle specimen is glued to one tip of the arm using instant glue. The other tip is thick due to being covered with plastic, thus it facilitates the detection of rotations of the arm. The revolution of the arm is detected by a photo sensor mounted on an infrared LED, and is indicated by a change in the output voltage when the arm passed above the LED. The photo sensor is connected to a personal computer and the output voltage data are stored at a sampling rate of 1 kHz. By conducting experiments using this flight mill, we found that P. quercivorus can fly at least 27 km. Because our flight mill comprises cheap and small ordinary items, many flight mills can be prepared and used simultaneously in a small laboratory space. This enables experimenters to obtain a sufficient amount of data within a short period.

Measuring the Flight Ability of the Ambrosia Beetle, Platypus Quercivorus Murayama, Using a Low-Cost, Small, and Easily Constructed Flight Mill

We developed a low cost and small flight mill, constructed with commonly available items and easily used in experimentation. Using this apparatus, we measured the flight ability of an ambrosia beetle, Platypus quercivorus.

מדידת היכולת טיסה של החיפושית אמברוזיה, ברווזן Quercivorus (Murayama), באמצעות בעלות נמוכה, קטנה, טיסה מתוכננת בקלות מיל

The ambrosia beetle, Platypus quercivorus (Murayama), is the vector of a fungal pathogen that causes mass mortality of Fagaceae trees (Japanese oak wilt). ...

Environment

A Precise and Autonomous System for the Detection of Insect Emergence Patterns

Existing systems to measure insect emergence patterns have limitations; they are only partially automated and are limited in the maximum number of emerging insects they can detect. In order to obtain precise measurement of insect emergence, it is necessary for systems to be semi-automated and able to measure large numbers of emerging insects. We addressed these issues by designing and building a system that is automated and can measure emergence of up to 1200 insects. We modified the existing &#34;falling-ball&#34; system using Arduino microcontrollers to automate data collection and expand the sample size through multiple data channels. Multiple data channels enable the user to not only increase their sample size, but also allows for multiple treatments to be run simultaneously in a single experiment. Furthermore, we created an R script to automatically visualize the data as a bubble plot, while also calculating the median day and time of emergence. The current system was designed using 3D printing so the user can modify the system to be adjusted for different species of insects. The goal of this protocol is to investigate important questions in chronobiology and stress physiology, using this precise and automated system to measure insect emergence patterns.

Measurement of insect emergence patterns requires precision. Existing systems are only semi-automated and sample size is limited. We addressed these issues by designing a system using microcontrollers to precisely measure the time of emergence of large numbers of emerging insects.

מערכת אוטונומית ומדויק עבור זיהוי דפוסי התגלות החרקים

Existing systems to measure insect emergence patterns have limitations; they are only partially automated and are limited in the maximum number of ...

Visually Mediated Odor Tracking During Flight in Drosophila

Flying insects use visual cues to stabilize their heading in a wind stream. Many animals additionally track odors carried in the wind. As such, visual stabilization of upwind tracking directly aids in odor tracking. But do olfactory signals directly influence visual tracking behavior independently from wind cues? Additionally, recent advances in olfactory molecular genetics and neurophysiology have motivated novel quantitative behavioral analyses to assess the behavioral influence of (e.g.) genetically inactivating specific olfactory activation circuits. We modified a magnetic tether system originally devised for vision experiments by equipping the arena with narrow laminar flow odor plumes. Here we focus on experiments that can be performed after a fly is tethered and is able to navigate in the magnetic arena. We show how to acquire video images optimized for measuring body angle, how to judge stable odor tracking, and we illustrate two experiments to examine the influence of visual cues on odor tracking.

Here we describe how to optimize the acquired video image for an olfactory magnetic-tether (OMT) apparatus. We also describe two sample experimental protocols for studying visuo-olfactory fusion.

ראייה ריח מעקב מתווכת במהלך טיסה ב תסיסנית

Flying insects use visual cues to stabilize their heading in a wind stream. Many animals additionally track odors carried in the wind. As such, visual ...

Biology

A Wind Tunnel for Odor Mediated Insect Behavioural Assays

Olfaction is the most important sensory mechanism by which many insects interact with their environment and a wind tunnel is an excellent tool to study insect chemical ecology. Insects can locate point sources in a three-dimensional environment through the sensory interaction and sophisticated behavior. The quantification of this behavior is a key element in the development of new tools for pest control and decision support. A wind tunnel with a suitable flight section with laminar air flow, visual cues for in-flight feedback and a variety of options for the application of odors can be used to measure complex behaviour which subsequently may allow the identification of attractive or repellent odors, insect flight characteristics, visual-odor interactions and interactions between attractants and odors lingering as background odors in the environment. A wind tunnel holds the advantage of studying the odor mediated behavioural repertoire of an insect in a laboratory setting. Behavioural measures in a controlled setting provide the link between the insect physiology and field application. A wind tunnel must be a flexible tool and should easily support the changes to setup and hardware to fit different research questions. The major disadvantage to the wind tunnel setup described here, is the clean odor background which necessitates special attention when developing a synthetic volatile blend for field application.

Here, we describe the construction and use of a wind tunnel for odor mediated behavioural assays with insects. The wind tunnel design facilitates the release of odor sources by several methods, with and without visual stimuli. Wind tunnel experiments are important methods to identify behaviorally active volatile chemicals.

במנהרת רוח עבור ריח מתווכת מבחני התנהגותי חרקים

Olfaction is the most important sensory mechanism by which many insects interact with their environment and a wind tunnel is an excellent tool to study ...

Low-Cost Automated Flight Intercept Trap for the Temporal Sub-Sampling of Flying Insects Attracted to Artificial Light at Night

Sampling methods are selected depending on the targeted species or the spatial and temporal requirements of the study. However, most methods for passive sampling of flying insects have a poor temporal resolution because it is time-consuming, costly and/or logistically difficult to perform. Effective sampling of flying insects attracted to artificial light at night (ALAN) requires sampling at user-defined time points (nighttime only) across well-replicated sites resulting in major time and labor-intensive survey effort or expensive automated technologies. Described here is a low-cost automated intercept trap that requires no specialist equipment or skills to construct and operate, making it a viable option for studies that require temporal sub-sampling across multiple sites. The trap can be used to address a wide range of other ecological questions that require a greater temporal and spatial scale than is feasible with previous trap technology.

To study the impacts of artificial light at night (ALAN) on nocturnal flying insects, sampling needs to be confined to nighttime. The protocol describes a low-cost automated flight intercept trap that allows researchers to sample at user-defined periods with increased replication.

מלכודת יירוט טיסה אוטומטית בעלות נמוכה עבור תת-דגימה זמנית של חרקים מעופפים הנמשכים לאור מלאכותי בלילה

Sampling methods are selected depending on the targeted species or the spatial and temporal requirements of the study. However, most methods for passive ...

Using Insect Electroantennogram Sensors on Autonomous Robots for Olfactory Searches

Robots designed to track chemical leaks in hazardous industrial facilities1 or explosive traces in landmine fields2 face the same problem as insects foraging for food or searching for mates3: the olfactory search is constrained by the physics of turbulent transport4. The concentration landscape of wind borne odors is discontinuous and consists of sporadically located patches. A pre-requisite to olfactory search is that intermittent odor patches are detected. Because of its high speed and sensitivity5-6, the olfactory organ of insects provides a unique opportunity for detection. Insect antennae have been used in the past to detect not only sex pheromones7 but also chemicals that are relevant to humans, e.g., volatile compounds emanating from cancer cells8 or toxic and illicit substances9-11. We describe here a protocol for using insect antennae on autonomous robots and present a proof of concept for tracking odor plumes to their source. The global response of olfactory neurons is recorded in situ in the form of electroantennograms (EAGs). Our experimental design, based on a whole insect preparation, allows stable recordings within a working day. In comparison, EAGs on excised antennae have a lifetime of 2 hr. A custom hardware/software interface was developed between the EAG electrodes and a robot. The measurement system resolves individual odor patches up to 10 Hz, which exceeds the time scale of artificial chemical sensors12. The efficiency of EAG sensors for olfactory searches is further demonstrated in driving the robot toward a source of pheromone. By using identical olfactory stimuli and sensors as in real animals, our robotic platform provides a direct means for testing biological hypotheses about olfactory coding and search strategies13. It may also prove beneficial for detecting other odorants of interests by combining EAGs from different insect species in a bioelectronic nose configuration14 or using nanostructured gas sensors that mimic insect antennae15.

We describe a protocol for using insect antennae in the form of electroantennograms (EAGs) on autonomous robots. Our experimental design allows stable recordings within a day and resolves individual odor patches up to 10 Hz. The efficiency of EAG sensors for olfactory searches is demonstrated in driving a robot toward an odor source.

באמצעות חיישני Electroantennogram חרקים על אוטונומי רובוטים לחיפושי חוש הריח

Robots designed to track chemical leaks in hazardous industrial facilities1 or explosive traces in landmine fields2 face the same problem as insects ...

Neuroscience

Building an Enhanced Flight Mill for the Study of Tethered Insect Flight

Makerspaces have a high potential of enabling researchers to develop new techniques and to work with novel species in ecological research. This protocol demonstrates how to take advantage of the technology found in makerspaces in order to build a more versatile flight mill for a relatively low cost. Given that this study extracted its&#160;prototype from flight mills built in the last decade, this protocol focuses more on outlining divergences made from the simple, modern flight mill. Previous studies have already shown how advantageous flight mills are to measuring flight parameters such as speed, distance, or periodicity. Such mills have allowed researchers to associate these parameters with morphological, physiological, or genetic factors. In addition to these advantages, this study discusses the benefits of using the technology in makerspaces, like 3D printers and laser cutters, in order to build a more flexible, sturdy, and collapsible flight mill design. Most notably, the 3D printed components of this design allow the user to test insects of various sizes by making the heights of the mill arm and infrared (IR) sensors adjustable. The 3D prints also enable the user to easily disassemble the machine for quick storage or transportation to the field. Moreover, this study makes greater use of magnets and magnetic paint to tether insects with minimal stress. Lastly, this protocol details a versatile analysis of flight data through computer scripts that efficiently separate and analyze differentiable flight trials within a single recording. Although more labor-intensive, applying the tools available in makerspaces and on online 3D modeling programs facilitates multidisciplinary and process-orientated practices and helps researchers avoid costly, premade products with narrowly adjustable dimensions. By taking advantage of the flexibility and reproducibility of technology in makerspaces, this protocol promotes creative flight mill design and inspires open science.

This protocol uses three-dimensional (3D) printers and laser cutters found in makerspaces in order to create a more flexible flight mill design. By using this technology, researchers can reduce costs, enhance design flexibility, and generate reproducible work when constructing their flight mills for tethered insect flight studies.

בניית טחנת טיסה משופרת לחקר טיסת חרקים קשורים

Makerspaces have a high potential of enabling researchers to develop new techniques and to work with novel species in ecological research. This protocol ...

Engineering

Electroantennography-based Bio-hybrid Odor-detecting Drone using Silkmoth Antennae for Odor Source Localization

Small drones with chemical or biosensor devices that can detect airborne odorant molecules have attracted considerable attention owing to their applicability in environmental and security monitoring and search-and-rescue operations. Small drones with commercial metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOX) gas sensors have been developed for odor source localization; however, their real-time-odor-detection performance has proven inadequate. However, biosensing technologies based on insect olfactory systems exhibit relatively high sensitivity, selectivity, and real-time response with respect to odorant molecules compared to commercial MOX gas sensors. In such devices, excised insect antennae function as portable odorant biosensor elements and have been found to deliver excellent sensing performance. This study presents experimental protocols for odorant-molecule detection in the air using a small autonomous bio-hybrid drone based on a mountable electroantennography (EAG) device incorporating silkmoth antennae.
We developed a mountable EAG device including sensing/processing parts with a Wi-Fi module. The device was equipped with a simple sensor enclosure to enhance the sensor directivity. Thus, odor source localization was conducted using the spiral-surge algorithm, which does not assume an upwind direction. The experimental bio-hybrid odor-detecting drone identified real-time odorant-concentration differences in a pseudo-open environment (outside a wind tunnel) and localized the source. The developed drone and associated system can serve as an efficient odorant molecule-detection tool and a suitable flight platform for developing odor source localization algorithms owing to its high programmability.

This study introduces experimental protocols for a bio-hybrid odor-detecting drone based on silkmoth antennae. The operation of an experimental electroantennogram device with silkmoth antennae is presented, in addition to the structure of a bio-hybrid drone designed for odor source localization using the spiral-surge algorithm.

רחפן גילוי ריח ביו-היברידי מבוסס אלקטרואנטנוגרפיה באמצעות אנטנות Silkmoth עבור לוקליזציה של מקור ריח

Small drones with chemical or biosensor devices that can detect airborne odorant molecules have attracted considerable attention owing to their ...

A Simple Flight Mill for the Study of Tethered Flight in Insects

Flight in insects can be long-range migratory flights, intermediate-range dispersal flights, or short-range host-seeking flights. Previous studies have shown that flight mills are valuable tools for the experimental study of insect flight behavior, allowing researchers to examine how factors such as age, host plants, or population source can influence an insects' propensity to disperse. Flight mills allow researchers to measure components of flight such as speed and distance flown. Lack of detailed information about how to build such a device can make their construction appear to be prohibitively complex. We present a simple and relatively inexpensive flight mill for the study of tethered flight in insects. Experimental insects can be tethered with non-toxic adhesives and revolve around an axis by means of a very low friction magnetic bearing. The mill is designed for the study of flight in controlled conditions as it can be used inside an incubator or environmental chamber. The strongest points are the very simple electronic circuitry, the design that allows sixteen insects to fly simultaneously allowing the collection and analysis of a large number of samples in a short time and the potential to use the device in a very limited workspace. This design is extremely flexible, and we have adjusted the mill to accommodate different species of insects of various sizes.

Flight in insects is influenced by a number of factors and the propensity to disperse is an important variable in understanding insect ecology and biological control strategies. We describe the construction and use of a simple, relatively inexpensive, and flexible flight mill for measuring parameters of tethered flight in insects.

טיסת מיל פשוט לחקר Tethered הטיסה בחרקים

Flight in insects can be long-range migratory flights, intermediate-range dispersal flights, or short-range host-seeking flights. Previous studies have ...