ArticleBMC zoology2021
A new innovative real-time tracking method for flying insects applicable under natural conditions.
Article in BMC zoology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.
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Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed.
- Microclimate-based oviposition site selection in butterflies and moths.Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society · 2026Review
- Why we need more individual-based parasite research.Parasites & vectors · 2026Review
- Neuroethology on the move with butterflies and moths.Journal of comparative physiology. A, Neuroethology, sensory, neural, and behavioral physiology · 2026Article
- Stratification of insect diversity and daily activity patterns in the West African virgin forest Taï assessed by entomological Lidar.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Shedding light with harmonic radar: Unveiling the hidden impacts of streetlights on moth flight behavior.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2024Article
- A Review of Five Existing Hornet-Tracking Methods.Insects · 2024Review
- A perspective on neuroethology: what the past teaches us about the future of neuroethology.Journal of comparative physiology. A, Neuroethology, sensory, neural, and behavioral physiology · 2024Review
- X,Y, and Z: A bird's eye view on light pollution.Ecology and evolution · 2022Article
- Night skies through animals' eyes-Quantifying night-time visual scenes and light pollution as viewed by animals.Frontiers in cellular neuroscience · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundSixty percent of all species are insects, yet despite global efforts to monitor animal movement patterns, insects are continuously underrepresented. This striking difference between species richness and the number of species monitored is not due to a lack of interest but rather to the lack of technical solutions. Often the accuracy and speed of established tracking methods is not high enough to record behavior and react to it experimentally in real-time, which applies in particular to small flying animals.
resultsOur new method of real-time tracking relates to frequencies of solar radiation which are almost completely absorbed by traveling through the atmosphere. For tracking, photoluminescent tags with a peak emission (1400 nm), which lays in such a region of strong absorption through the atmosphere, were attached to the animals. The photoluminescent properties of passivated lead sulphide quantum dots were responsible for the emission of light by the tags and provide a superb signal-to noise ratio. We developed prototype markers with a weight of 12.5 mg and a diameter of 5 mm. Furthermore, we developed a short wave infrared detection system which can record and determine the position of an animal in a heterogeneous environment with a delay smaller than 10 ms. With this method we were able to track tagged bumblebees as well as hawk moths in a flight arena that was placed outside on a natural meadow.
conclusionOur new method eliminates the necessity of a constant or predictable environment for many experimental setups. Furthermore, we postulate that the developed matrix-detector mounted to a multicopter will enable tracking of small flying insects, over medium range distances (>1000 m) in the near future because: a) the matrix-detector equipped with an 70 mm interchangeable lens weighs less than 380 g, b) it evaluates the position of an animal in real-time and c) it can directly control and communicate with electronic devices.
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