A Redesigned Electronic Insect Trap for Automated

Monitoring of Lepidoptera in Orchards

Brian L. Lehman (PSU)

Larry A. Hull (PSU)

Johnny Park (Purdue University)

German Holguin (Purdue University)

Teah Smith (Washington State University)

Vincent P. Jones (Washington State University)

CSFWC - 2010 B. Lehman/L. Hull - PSU

Prototype Digital

Trap - 2009

CSFWC - 2010 B. Lehman/L. Hull - PSU

Moth trapping issues in 2009

• Electronic traps had poor capture rates

compared to large plastic delta traps.

• Vapona® strips likely had repelling effects.

• Repelling effect of ultrasonic waves

emitted from electronics ruled out.

• Electronic traps often recorded false

capture events.

CSFWC - 2010 B. Lehman/L. Hull - PSU

Schematic interpretation of a bio-

impedance based trap (Z-trap) 2010

CSFWC - 2010 B. Lehman/L. Hull - PSU

Z-trap coil design - 2010

CSFWC - 2010 B. Lehman/L. Hull - PSU

Original Z-trap and

some modifications -

2010

CSFWC - 2010 B. Lehman/L. Hull - PSU

2010 Z-trap coil designs

CSFWC - 2010 B. Lehman/L. Hull - PSU

Z-trap vs. LPD codling moth capture - 2010

CSFWC - 2010 B. Lehman/L. Hull - PSU

0

20

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120

140

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22-Jul 1-Aug 11-Aug 21-Aug 31-Aug 10-Sep 20-Sep 30-Sep 10-Oct

Cu

mu

lati

ve

mo

th c

ap

ture

z-trap

LPD

Switch of z-trap was turned off

LPD bottoms and smaller

funnels added to traps

CSFWC - 2010 B. Lehman/L. Hull - PSU

0

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70

21-Aug 26-Aug 31-Aug 5-Sep 10-Sep 15-Sep 20-Sep 25-Sep 30-Sep 5-Oct

Cu

mu

lati

ve

mo

th c

ap

ture

z-trap

LPD

Z-trap vs. LPD codling moth capture cont.

Z-trap vs. LPD OFM capture 2010

CSFWC - 2010 B. Lehman/L. Hull - PSU

0

50

100

150

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300

350

400

22-Jul 1-Aug 11-Aug 21-Aug 31-Aug 10-Sep 20-Sep 30-Sep 10-Oct

Cu

mu

lati

ve

mo

th c

ap

ture

z-trap

LPD

LPD bottoms and smaller

funnels added to traps

Z-trap signals - 2010

CSFWC - 2010 B. Lehman/L. Hull - PSU

Target insect Non-target signal

Z-trap signals generated by different target insects

CSFWC - 2010 B. Lehman/L. Hull - PSU

OBLR CM OFM

CSFWC - 2010 B. Lehman/L. Hull - PSU

Second generation

Infrared trap design -

2010

Capture rates of OFM in IR traps

vs. standard LPD – 2010

CSFWC - 2010 B. Lehman/L. Hull - PSU

IR signals generated by OFM (above) and

CM (below)

CSFWC - 2010 B. Lehman/L. Hull - PSU

CSFWC - 2010 B. Lehman/L. Hull - PSU

Funnel

experiment to

determine

moth escape rates

Percent of moths escaping

CSFWC - 2010 B. Lehman/L. Hull - PSU

Funnel hole size - ID

10mm 20mm 30mm bucket

Codling

moth0* 1.2 8.2 1.6

Oriental

fruit moth9 54 58 37.5

* Percent moths escaping out of five moths (cm) and ten moths (ofm) per

day over a four day (cm) and three day (ofm) period.

Trap designed with baffle to

prevent moths from escaping

CSFWC - 2010 B. Lehman/L. Hull - PSU

Jones and Smith, 2010. WSU – unpublished data

Future electronic trap plans

• Redesign Z-trap exterior to increase moth capture rates

• Design trap with modular components so they can be

easily modified for specific insects and/or conditions

• Modify IR traps to increase capture rates

• Possibly incorporate Z-trap and IR trap into one trap

design

• Further analyze electronic signals from different target and

non-target species

• Develop a user interface that works in conjunction with

wireless communication and automatically displays trap

location, insect detections for individual traps, and graphs

of cumulative insect detection

B. Lehman/L. Hull - PSU

Acknowledgments

Comprehensive Automation for Specialty

Crops (CASC)Funding for the project from the USDA Specialty Crop

Research Initiative to CASC members (below) and the

Washington State Tree Fruit Research Commission :

• Carnegie Mellon University

• Pennsylvania State University

• Purdue University

• Oregon State University

• Washington State University

• USDA

CSFWC - 2010 B. Lehman/L. Hull - PSU