Development of Automated Devices for the Monitoring of Insect Pests

Abstract

The monitoring of insect pests based on adult trapping systems is part of integrated pest management (IPM) in many crops and of early warning detection programs used to set up appropriate management decisions or eradication responses. Using data obtained from traps to make management decisions is not an easy task and involves significant costs in equipment, transport and labour. Thanks to the spread and the low prices of information and communication technologies, innovative automated capture devices including electronic sensors and connecting components are increasingly being developed, allow facing some of the current monitoring constraints in a context of IPM. In this paper, we illustrated the state of the art of this field and provide insights on automated devices, consisting of traps equipped with sensors and other components for the collection of data in the field and their transmission to a remote server accessible online, with information stored in geo-referenced databases. Optical sensors are mainly used for detecting photo-interruptions, images or optoacoustic spectrum of wingbeats. The monitoring systems can be equipped with software for image interpretation and identification of the caught target insect pest (fully automated system) or a remote operator can count the trapped insects by watching the images coming from the e-trap (semi-automated system). The software can integrate a decision support system (DSS) module, which provides information on the risk of infestation and the actions to be taken (when, where, how to make a control application). The development and future prospects of automated devices are discussed in relation to the technical reliability of the system, ease of use and costs compared to traditional monitoring methods.