Recognition and characterization of migratory movements of Australian plague locusts, Chortoicetes terminifera, with an insect monitoring radar

摘要: Two special purpose insect-detecting radar units have operated in inland eastern Australia, the region where nocturnal migratory movements of Australian plague locusts Chortoicetes terminifera occur, for over 10 years. The fully automatic radars detect individual insects as they fly directly overhead and “interrogate” them to obtain information about their characters (size, shape, wing beating) trajectory (speed, direction, orientation). character data allow be distinguished from most other migrant species. A locust index, calculated total count locust-like targets a night, provides simple indication migration intensity. For nights heavy migration, variation numbers, directions, speeds with both height time can examined. Emigration immigration events distinguished, “transmigration,” passage populations originating elsewhere. Movement distances inferred, broad source (more tentatively) destination regions are identified. Movements were typically up 400 km. Interpretation observations requires judgment, present two provide only partial coverage infestation area, but capacity major population promptly, between necessarily infrequent surveys, has proved valuable.