Abstract:
Introduction: Invasive arthropods threaten global food supply, ecosystem integrity and trade. Analysis of freely available government arthropod incursion response and eradication programs (http://b3.net.nz/gerda/index.php) reported that prospects for successful eradication were improved more than 20-fold for insect species with attractants. Detection of most invasive species is difficult, although insect traps can be powerful at solving the detection problem by leveraging attraction over a large active space into surveillance. Methods: Traps operating as biosensors can be enabled with optical, acoustic or other sensors. Insect behavioural assays including proboscis extension response (PER) in honeybees can be used for signature odourant detection for Tb and many other targets but have yet to become adopted. E-nose technologies are progressing but well behind insects for sensitivity, including honeybees with aversive training. Bioelectricity-based sensors such as field EAG and SSR are not widely used but purely electricity based biosensors could work at a focussed system level, such as the laser based LIDAR in line of sight for detection of odor-trained honeybees hovering over a Biosecurity target. Insect telemetry in complex landscapes has further enormous potential to remove the limitation of line of sight. Results/Conclusion: Once delimitation is achieved there remains the challenge of identifying and developing suitable tactics for suppression, and deploying them successfully. Precise landscape information using biosensors may enable adaptive and tailored local responses from managers at greater precision. doi: 10.1603/ICE.2016.93352
