METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR RECORDING AND/OR MONITORING POPULATIONS OF INSECTS

Abstract

Disclosed are a system (10) and a method used for the detection and/or monitoring of insect populations (16), in which insects (16) of at least one defined genus are attracted, at least temporarily retained within a defined compartment (12), and sensed and/or analyzed with regard to definable features (14). The invention comprises: features or method steps, as appropriate: attracting the defined genus of insects (16) within a definable spatial vicinity (20) with an attracting stimuli (22); transferring the attracted insects (16) into a defined compartment interior (12) while preventing, at least for a definable time interval, an inadvertent escape, at least of a large number of the insects (16); detecting specific features (14) of the insects (16) with a sensor unit (26); transmitting sensor signals (30) supplied by the sensor unit (26) to an electronic analysis device and/or evaluation device (28) disposed downstream from the sensor unit (26).

Claims

1. A method used for the detection and/or monitoring of insect populations (16), comprising: attracting a defined genus of insects (16) into a spatial vicinity (20) of a defined compartment interior (12) with an attracting stimuli (22); transferring the attracted insects (16) into the defined compartment interior (12) while preventing, at least for a time interval, an inadvertent escape of a large number of the insects (16) that have been transferred into the defined compartment interior (12); detecting specific features (14) of the insects (16) located within the defined compartment interior (12) by a sensor unit (26); transmitting sensor signals (30), representing the detected specific features (14) to an evaluation device (28) disposed downstream from the sensor unit (26).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detected specific features (14) of the insects (16) are sex, species, or genus of the insects (16).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the detected specific features (14) of the insects (16) are markers (36) borne by the insects (16) or are markers (36) having been applied to the insects (16).

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the markers (36) are formed by genetic modifications to the insects (16). genetic modifications are detected by means of the sensor technology (26).

5. The method claim 3, wherein the markers (36) are radioactive markers.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the markers (36) are optical or fluorescent markers.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the markers (36) are formed by administering a substance to the insects (16).

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit (26) comprises one or more optical detection devices.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more optical detection devices comprises an image evaluation device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the detecting step comprises detecting movement patterns of the insects (16).

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit (26) comprises one or more acoustic detection devices.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit (26) comprises one or more detection devices that are sensitive to electromagnetic or radioactive radiation.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the attracting stimuli (22) is an optical attracting stimuli (22).

14. (canceled)

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the optical attracting stimuli (22) are substantially formed by the emission of UV light or contain UV light components.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the attracting stimuli (22) is an acoustic stimuli (22).

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the attracting stimuli (22) is a heat, olfactory, or chemical stimuli (22).

18. (canceled)

19. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising releasing the insects (16) from the defined compartment interior (12) after the detecting step.

22. (canceled)

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the detecting step comprises holding the insects (16) in an airflow generated within the defined compartment interior (12).

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting step comprises holding the insects (16) on an adhesive surface or on a net.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising analyzing changes in populations of insects (16) over a period of time.

26-38. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0040] In the following passages, the attached figures further illustrate typical embodiments of the invention and their advantages. The size ratios of the individual elements in the figures do not necessarily reflect the real size ratios. It is to be understood that in some instances various aspects of the invention may be shown exaggerated or enlarged in relation to other elements to facilitate an understanding of the invention.

[0041] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of an embodiment variant of an insect detection system and/or insect monitoring system according to the invention.

[0042] FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of the active principles of the system according to FIG. 1, which system is provided or suitable for carrying out a method according to the invention, the method being used for the detection and/or monitoring of insect populations of a defined genus.

[0043] The same or equivalent elements of the invention are designated using identical reference characters. Furthermore and for the sake of clarity, only the reference characters relevant for describing the individual figures are provided. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific example of the optical monitoring system according to the invention, while indicating a preferred embodiment, is intended for purposes of illustration only and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0044] The schematic illustration of FIG. 1 shows the essential principles of a possible embodiment variant of an insect detection system and/or insect monitoring system 10 or of a system 10 used for the detection and/or monitoring of insects 16 of at least one defined genus, which insects 16 are attracted and at least temporarily retained within a defined compartment 12, and which are sensed and/or analyzed with regard to definable features 14. The flying insects 16 can be yellow-fever mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti), for example, which occur in great numbers in some areas, and of which the population can be monitored by the shown system 10, provided that the insects 16 located and detected within a defined compartment 12 have a uniquely sensable marker representing the definable features 14. The flying insects 16 in the sense of the present invention can also be nearly any other species, as the principles according to the invention can be used for most diverse insect species.

[0045] The system 10 comprises attractants 18which are not described in more detail here to begin withto attract the defined genus of insects 16 within a definable spatial vicinity 20 within which the attractants 18 are effective and have an attracting influence on those insects 16 that are present within the definable spatial vicinity 20. The attractants 18 can emit, in particular, attracting stimuli 22 that are attractive to the insects 16 and that can signalize them optical, acoustic, olfactory, or other attracting stimuli 22, for example those of an attractive food source. The defined compartment interior 12 to which the attractants 18 to attract the flying insects 16 are assigned, can be formed, in particular, by an interior space of an insect trap 24, which serves for the transfer and accommodation of the attracted insects 16, while preventing, at least for a definable time interval, an inadvertent escape, at least of a large number of the insects 16 having been transferred into the defined compartment interior 12.

[0046] The insect traps 24 employed in this connection can be of various different types according to the insects 16 to be attracted and captured. For yellow-fever mosquitoes or mosquitoes, for example, such traps have proved particularly effective that combine optical contrast surfaces with weak airflows, which are perceived as distinct attracting stimuli by the relevant insects. WO 2004 054 358 A2, for example, discloses such an insect trap 24. A light surface is combined there with a diffuser surface to generate a weak airflow emanating from the surface, in which context at least one dark contrast spot lies within the light surface. The dark contrast spot can be formed, in particular, as intake suction duct to suck in the attracted flying insects 16.

[0047] In order to be able to fulfill its intended object, the system 10 furthermore comprises a suitable sensor unit 26 disposed, in particular, within the compartment interior 12 of the trap 24, which system 10 is suitable and equipped for the detection of the previously defined, specific features 14 of the insects 16 located within the defined compartment interior or insect trap 24. It should be pointed out, however, that the sensor unit 26 by no means necessarily has to be spatially assigned to the trap 24 in such a manner that it is located in the insect trap 24. The sensor unit 26 can likewise be disposed merely in spatial vicinity to the defined compartment interior 12 or to the insect trap 24. Thus, arrangements have proved successful in which, for example, the trap 24 is monitored by optical detection devices from above, with the sensor unit 26 of the optical detection devices employed in this context not being an immediate component of the insect trap 24. Furthermore, an electronic analysis device and/or evaluation device 28 for the detection and/or evaluation of the specific features 14 of the insects 16 detected by the sensor unit 26 is disposed downstream from the sensor unit 26, which electronic analysis device and/or evaluation device 28 can process and prepare in a suitable manner the electronic sensor signals 30 supplied by the sensor unit 26. Preferably, the electronic analysis device and/or evaluation device 28 can store and/or visualize or transmit to remote locations in a suitable manner the data obtained and calculated from the sensor signals 30 that are supplied from the processing and preparing by the sensor unit 26, and this is indicated by the storage device 32, which is coupled with the analysis device and/or evaluation device 28 and which is to be regarded as a further equipment option, as well as by the display device 34, which is likewise coupled with the analysis device and/or evaluation device 28 and likewise to be regarded as a further equipment option.

[0048] If a device 28 disposed downstream from the sensor unit 26 is referred to in the present context, this is to be understood in a general and comprehensive sense. For example, numerous sensor units 26 can transmit their data 30 to a central analysis device and/or evaluation device 28 without a spatial proximity being necessary in this context between the traps 24 and the device 28. The system 10 according to the invention can also comprise a network of a plurality of or of many insect traps 24 that cover a larger area, for example. The sensor data 30 supplied by the sensor units 26 from the a plurality of or from the numerous insect traps 24 can in this context be supplied, for example, by remote connections (e.g. radio connections) to the central data processing equipment 28, which can optionally be located remote from the traps 24. The electronic analysis device and/or evaluation device 28, which is disposed downstream from the particular sensor unit 26 of each individual trap 24 of a total of several such insect traps 24 that are potentially each situated in a different location, can communicate, in particular, via remote data connections with the insect traps 24 or with their sensor units 26 so that a central data detection and data evaluation for a larger area that is provided with a plurality of traps 24, potentially with a multitude of insect traps 24, is made possible without a direct line connection or data connection being required. In this way it is possible to realize high-performance monitoring systems for large areas, which can be centrally administered and equipped with a central data detection and data evaluation.

[0049] The schematic presentation of FIG. 2 is intended to illustrate the principles forming the basis of the system 10 according to the invention as explained in FIG. 1. The method described with the present invention is primarily a measure to monitor effectiveness, that is to say, it is intended to verify and potentially accompany and monitor the effectivity and range of manipulation measures over longer periods of time. If specific features 14 are referred to in the present context, with the features 14 adhering to the flying insects 16 attracted and detected by the sensor unit 26, these features 14 can be, for example, colored, fluorescent, or other optically identifiable markers 36 administered to or applied onto the flying insects 16 bred in a laboratory 38. These laboratory-38-bred flying insects (e.g. yellow-fever mosquitoes/Aedes aegypti or the like) are sterile male animals, which after their release would no longer be distinguishable from wild animals without the sensable features 14 applied onto them in the form of the markers 36. After having bred the animals 16 in the laboratory 38 and applied the markers 36 (phase I, left box), they are releasable male and sterile flying insects 16 that are provided with distinctive and uniquely sensable features 14 (phase II, next box to the right). The insects 16 can be administered the markers 36 by suitable feeding, for example, and be imprinted by being fed with a low-concentration solution of the fluorescent substance rhodamine B, which can be identified on the insects 16 in the desired manner by optical sensors.

[0050] The in such a way marked, laboratory-38-bred, sterile, male flying insects 16 with the markers 36 applied onto them can subsequently be released within a population of wild flying insects 16these are female and male animals without features or markers applied onto themas is indicated by the box on the right side in FIG. 2 (phase III). Since the laboratory-38-bred animals stay in the existing population and mate with female animals, due to their sterility, however, prevent reproduction of the animals, the existing wild population of the flying insects 16 manipulated in such a way is gradually reduced, if the insects behave as desired and predicted.

[0051] However, neither is the population density of an existing population of wild flying insects 16 precisely determinable, nor is the influence on the population by the release of the marked sterile insects 16 verifiable by mere observation, so that the system 10 described in a schematic way in FIG. 1 can serve to detect and document the population changes by the marked insects 16 being uniquely detectable and distinguishable from non-marked, that is to say, wild insects 16.

[0052] The sensor unit 26, which is shown in FIG. 1, and which is suitable or equipped for the detection of the specific features 14 of the insects 16 16 located within the defined compartment interior 12 or within the insect trap 24 can be formed, for example, by optical detection devices, such as cameras, or can comprise such optical detection devices. The optical detection devices can thus comprise, for example, an image evaluation step or device disposed downstream from the sensor unit 26 (in particular within the electronic analysis device and/or evaluation device 28), in which context devices for the detection of reflective elements or reflective image parts can also be expediently used. Optionally, movement patterns of the sensed insects 16 can be detected and/or provided to the downstream electronic analysis device and/or evaluation device 28 by the optical detection devices and/or by the downstream image evaluation. Also conceivable are variants in which various other features are detected, for example, acoustic patterns, wing beat profiles, other emissions from the insects 16, etc. Thus, the sensor unit 26, which is suitable or equipped for the detection of the specific features 14 of the insects 16 16 located within the defined compartment interior 12 or within the insect trap 24 can in this system 10 also be formed by acoustic detection devices or can comprise such acoustic detection devices. The system 10 can furthermore be equipped in such a manner that the sensor unit 26, which is suitable or equipped for the detection of the specific features 14 of the insects 16 located within the defined compartment interior 12 or within the insect trap 24 is formed by detection devices that are sensitive to electromagnetic and/or radioactive radiation or comprises detection devices that are sensitive to electromagnetic and/or radioactive radiation.

[0053] The attractants 18 indicated in FIG. 1 can emit various different attracting stimuli 22, for example optical and/or acoustic and/or sensory stimuli that are attractive to the insects 16 and/or heat stimuli and/or olfactory and/or chemical attracting stimuli by which the insects 16 are attractable, in which context it is also possible to employ and apply any combinations of these variants of attracting stimuli.

[0054] The defined compartment interior 12 or the interior space of the insect trap 24 which is provided for the accommodation of attracted insects 16, can prevent the accommodated insects 16 at least for a defined time interval from an escape. Optionally, the insects 16 can also be rendered harmless or be killed after they have been detected and after the detected data has been evaluated.

[0055] The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that numerous changes and modifications can be made to the preferred embodiments of the invention and that such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is therefore intended that the appended claims cover all such equivalent variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0056] 10 System, insect detection system and/or insect monitoring system

[0057] 12 Compartment, defined compartment

[0058] 14 Feature, definable features

[0059] 16 Insects, flying insects, mosquitoes, yellow-fever mosquitoes

[0060] 18 Attractant, agent to attract insects

[0061] 20 Spatial vicinity, definable spatial vicinity

[0062] 22 Attracting stimulus, stimuli

[0063] 24 Trap, insect traps

[0064] 26 Sensor unit, sensor technology unit, sensor technology for the detection of insect features

[0065] 28 Analysis device and/or evaluation device, electronic analysis device and/or evaluation device

[0066] 30 Output signal, sensor signal, sensor data

[0067] 32 Storage device

[0068] 34 Display device, display

[0069] 36 Marker, optical marker

[0070] 38 Laboratory