Imagine being able to detect pests on your crops simply by listening to them eat. This groundbreaking concept has become a reality with the introduction of the Insect Eavesdropper. This tool transforms pest management in agriculture.
UW Entomology Professor Emily Bick, is the co-founder of the Insect Eavesdropper and says by harnessing the power of sound, this sensor offers farmers a new way to detect and monitor insect pests directly on their crops, providing early detection and precise insights that can significantly enhance crop protection strategies.
“It’s essentially a guitar microphone that we clip onto plant stems to amplify the sound of insects feeding,” explains Bick.
Initial tests of the Insect Eavesdropper focused on large, observable insects like the tobacco hornworm as well as the Colorado potato beetle. Researchers then moved to smaller pests, such as the European corn borer and corn rootworms. “We were shocked that we could actually distinctly hear the crunch sound of the European corn borer feeding on the corn plant,” Bick says. “Even more surprising was detecting insects underground with the microphone clipped a couple of inches above ground.”
This sensor offers significant advantages over traditional methods, which often involve labor-intensive processes like digging up plants or also using traps. With the Insect Eavesdropper, farmers can simply clip the sensor onto a plant and get real-time data. The researchers have found that clipping the mic on for just 40 seconds provides a 95% confidence level of detecting the insect if present.
“The two major ways of using this are on a regional scale or at a farm level,” Bick added. “We envision a network of these sensors similar to weather stations, providing comprehensive monitoring across regions.”
The researchers are still developing the technology. They have distributed prototypes to 20 academic labs, including some in Europe, for further testing. The aim is to refine the technology to accurately detect different types of pests across various crops and environments. “We’re working on a suite of machine learning algorithms to differentiate species,” Bick noted. “Even though there are over 2 million known insect species, only a few are pests for crops like corn.”
The Insect Eavesdropper is not only a tool for detecting pests but also an educational and practical aid for farmers. It integrates with a pest alert service, where farmers can sign up for text alerts about pest issues. “We have about 300 people signed up right now, receiving direct updates about pests in their fields,” says Bick. “This direct communication helps farmers take timely action to protect their crops.”
