Electronic systems to automatically detect insect pests that respond to species-specific chemical sex pheromone baits

Abstract

Sex attractant chemicals, isolated from one gender of a particular insect species, were formulated and used as bait to lure insects to the electronic detector devices installed at sites in field conditions. The electronic detector and control circuits were designed to regulate digital counters or to trigger a radio telemetry signal when a target insect was lured to a detector by the chemical attractant. The telemetry signals were received at a base radio receiver station and collated by a computer on a continual real-time basis. These detection and reporting systems can increase the efficiency of monitoring insect population densities in field conditions, and could substantially reduce costs of labor and transportation during season-long insect surveys.<>