M.Much of what is known about insect flights comes from experiments in which the organisms are tied up with thread, glue or wire. In return for the control these techniques provide, researchers must grapple with how they alter the natural behavior of the insects themselves. In order to truly study the animals in free flight, scientists have begun marrying tools from different disciplines to create unprecedented opportunities for observing insects on the wing.
Virtual reality arenas
© THOM GRAVES
How it works
Scientists are using digital game technology to create realistic environments for animals in an arena.
benefits
- Allows researchers to simulate different environments in the laboratory
- Let’s virtually manipulate the stimuli in ways that would be difficult / impossible in real life
disadvantage
- Still not recreating entirely natural environments
- It is difficult to incorporate multiple sensory cues
- It is difficult to study certain behaviors or larger species
Lab-on cable
© THOM GRAVES
How it works
In a configuration similar to the cameras used in sports stadiums, a central cube is controlled by a series of winches and cables to move around an insect while flying.
benefits
- Can follow the unpredictable flight of an insect
- Can be used in the field
- Can be used to study larger species
- It is not necessary for the cameras to be pre-positioned
disadvantage
- Costs a lot of money
- Has bulky equipment
- Requires advanced software to run and analyze data
radar
© THOM GRAVES
How it works
Weather radars or specially developed entomological radar devices track swarms of insects over long distances.
benefits
- Tracks insects in their natural habitat
- Provides data on the swarm or individual behavior
- Can be deployed remotely
- Has useful environmental / economic / public health uses
disadvantage
- Taxonomy cannot be determined directly (must be derived or confirmed by field sampling)
- Costs a lot of money
- Generates noisy data
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