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Khoa Luu and Ashley Dowling monitor insect activity at the U of A Farm.

The U of A and U of A System Division of Agriculture researchers have developed a prototype of an insect trap that can help farmers monitor and identify potential pests more efficiently.

Ashley Dowling, a professor of entomology and plant pathology conducting research for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, partnered with Khoa Luu, an assistant professor of computer science and computer engineering, to create a trap that captures footage of insects, uses artificial intelligence to identify them and sends real-time data back to the farmers.

Once farmers become aware that certain pests are present, they can take the appropriate measures to counteract their potential damage.

The trap itself was created by a local Arkansas business [SolaRid AR], and they came to the university with lots of ideas about what theyd like their trap to be able to do, Dowling said. One of the things on their list was this smart trap approach to things. We jumped at the chance to work with them and create this for them.

Prior to the development of this prototype, farmers typically set traps manually and then sent someone out to evaluate them every few days a process that takes much longer and can sometimes result in crops being ruined in the meantime.

Oftentimes, by the time they get the data, its almost too late, Dowling says.

The new device, however, eliminates the need for manual monitoring, so farmers can make decisions on the fly.

The trap itself is attracting insects using lights of certain wavelengths that are attractive to insects, Dowling explains. It also has the ability to put chemical odors into it that you can target very specific insects with.

As insects beeline their way into the trap, they pass through a sensor with an infrared plane, which then activates the camera. From here, the computer uses artificial intelligence perfected by Luu to identify the insect and transmit the results to the user.

Dowling explains that when certain thresholds of insects are reached in a field, that tells the farmer its time to take action, particularly to avoid substantial economic losses. And, knowing if the pests are isolated to a certain area allows farmers to target only the areas that are potentially affected.

Beyond the fields, the technology has the capability of being applied in other areas of entomology, like biodiversity or museum collections, where samples containing thousands of specimens are regularly collected and need to be analyzed in a timely manner.

Learn more about Dowling and Luus smart insect monitoring system inCaught on Camera: Insects Editionand find additionalShort Takesvideos here.

About the University of Arkansas:As Arkansas' flagship institution, theUofAprovides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, theUofAcontributes more than$2.2 billion to Arkansas economythrough the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies theUofAamong the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity.U.S. News & World Reportranks theUofAamong the top public universities in the nation. See how theUofAworks to build a better world atArkansas Research News.

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Insects Get 'Caught on Camera' to Help Farmers in Latest Short Takes - University of Arkansas Newswire