Number of insect telemetry studies versus (A) time, (B) type of insect, and (C) main study aim. Black arrows in (A) denote the first time specific groups of insects were radio-tracked in the field. See Kissler et al. (2013) for details.
Challenges and prospects in the telemetry of insects
Check out a new paper that reviews the history of insect telemetry, including radio, harmonic, and restricted detection distance (RFID) tags. The authors also discuss challenges and future prospects:
“We see great potential for moving the frontiers of insect telemetry considerably further if automated systems for tracking insect movement, activity and behaviour are implemented and applied. The further development of space-based tracking systems such as ARGOS or ICARUS could ultimately provide a breakthrough for the monitoring and analysis of regional and continental movements of large-bodied insects.”
