A low-cost solution for tracking small-bodied insects in the field: Developing solar-powered, active RFID tags

小型昆虫的快速移动，如大黄蜂和蜜蜂，很难严格记录。尽管存在昆虫监测工具和技术，但它们受到规模、范围和可靠性的限制，无法用于了解授粉、基因流动、疾病传播和其他大规模现象。科学家们已经使用无线电频率技术来跟踪更大的动物，如鸟类和哺乳动物，但电池供电的无线电发射机太大太重，除了最大的飞行昆虫外，其他昆虫都无法携带。谐波雷达已被用于跟踪大黄蜂，虽然这一系统已被证明是非常有用的，但也有一些严重的限制。谐波雷达需要一个3厘米的天线垂直连接到蜜蜂的背部，有效地防止蜜蜂进入它的巢穴和从花朵中收集资源。此外，该系统仅适用于直接视线，这意味着如果蜜蜂飞到树篱等中间物体后面，信号就会丢失。谐波雷达也非常昂贵，花费数百万英镑的高科技设备。我们的项目将开发一种新的，尖端的跟踪系统，使用微小的，太阳能微芯片，粘在小身体的昆虫，而不影响他们的飞行能力和觅食正常。每个微芯片-或有源射频识别（RFID）标签-发出一个独特的信号，以识别在探测器单元半径1 - 2米范围内捕获的单个昆虫。一旦在基尤的皇家植物园的实验中为蜜蜂开发和演示，该技术就可以在野外使用。一个由实地部署的探测器组成的网络可以被放置在点缀在风景周围的花丛中，以跟踪被标记的蜜蜂的距离和路径。这种追踪昆虫的方法以前从未尝试过。为什么追踪昆虫的运动模式会有用？通过研究昆虫的运动、迁移和行为，科学家可以帮助解答影响物种和生态系统多样性、健康和持久性的重要生态问题。例如，近几十年来，全球蜜蜂数量大幅下降，引起了人们对减少野花和作物基本授粉服务的担忧。通过使用跟踪昆虫授粉者的新技术，研究将更好地了解生境破碎化和类烟碱杀虫剂对授粉者及其提供的授粉服务的影响。例如，该技术还可用于研究外来害虫的移动，这些害虫对本土植物群和动物群产生巨大影响，并每年给农民造成严重的经济损失。通过了解这些害虫的需求，我们将能够更好地制定控制策略。这些只是几个及时的例子，说明如何使用新技术，研究昆虫运动对了解我们周围的世界产生更广泛的影响。新的信息将帮助我们更有效地为子孙后代养护和保护自然。

The rapid movements of small-bodied insects, such as bumblebees and honeybees, are difficult to rigorously document. Although insect monitoring tools and techniques exist they are too limited by size, range and reliability to be used for understanding pollination, gene flow, disease movement and other landscape-scale phenomena. Scientists have used radio frequency technology to track larger animals, such as birds and mammals, but the battery-powered radio transmitters are too big and heavy to be carried by all but the largest flying insects. Harmonic radar has been used to track bumblebees and, although this system has proved very useful, there are some severe limitations. Harmonic radar requires a 3 cm aerial to be attached vertically to a bee's back, effectively preventing the bee from accessing its nest and gathering resources from flowers. Also, the system only works on direct line of sight, meaning the signal is lost if a bee flies behind an intervening object such as a hedge. Harmonic radar is also very expensive costing millions of pounds for the hi-tech equipment. Our project will develop a new, cutting-edge tracking system using tiny, solar- powered microchips that are glued to small-bodied insects without affecting their ability to fly and forage normally. Each microchip - or active radio frequency identification (RFID) tag - emits a unique signal to identify individual insects that is picked-up within a 1-2 m radius of a detector unit. Once developed and demonstrated for bees in experiments at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, the technology could be used in the wild. A network of field-deployed detectors could be positioned within patches of flowers dotted around the landscape to track the distances and paths of tagged bees. This approach to tracking insects has never been attempted before. Why would it be useful to track insect movement patterns? By studying insect movement, migration and behaviour, scientists can help to provide answers to important ecological questions that impact the diversity, health and persistence of species and ecosystems. For example, major worldwide declines in bee numbers in recent decades have raised concerns over reductions in essential pollination services to wildflowers and crops. With the use of the new technology to track insect pollinators, studies would provide a better understanding of the largely unknown impacts of habitat fragmentation and neonicotinoid pesticides on pollinators and the pollination services they provide. The technology could also be used, for example, to study the movements of alien insect pests that have dramatic impacts on native flora and fauna and cause serious economic losses to farmers every year. By understanding the requirements of these pests we will be better able to devise control strategies. These are just a few timely examples of how, with the use of the new technology, studying insect movement has wider reaching consequences for understanding the world around us. The new information would help us to more effectively conserve and protect nature for future generations.