Monday, December 10, 2007
D0113

What is the ideal weight and design of the micro-antenna to track drones of Apis mellifera?

Rafiné Moreno-Jackson, rafinuez@yahoo.com, Alberto Galindo-Cardona, coleopterino@gmail.com, and Tugrul Giray, tgiray2@yahoo.com. University of Puerto Rico, Biology, PO Box 23360 JGD-212, San Juan, Puerto Rico

Flying insects, like honey bees, can be observed for little time in a place before they disperse on to a greater area where they cannot be easily observed. The study of the spatial behavior of organisms is important to understand the way different populations act. The tagging of insects has been used in various studies to track them through larger areas than our human vision allows and for longer times. This tags have already been designed for other insects as Colorado potato beetles (Leptinotarsa decemlineata), a ground beetle (Plicanmosthetus planiusculus) and a snail (Paryphanta busbyi watti), amongst others. This method has been used by pest management programs so that they can understand the ecology and interrelationships between the insects and the environment. Our objective is to measure and test the efficiency of different micro-antennas built by us and how they can be tracked by the radar. The technique to be used to solder a diode across a loop formed with a wire. Antennas with different types of wires will be designed, constructed and tested to see which one makes the lighter weighting antenna. The best performing antennas will be attached by using glue to collected drones in the area of the Experimental Station in Gurabo, Puerto Rico. After designing and constructing this tag, it will be used by him to conduct his study on the use of remote sensors to detect Drone Congregation Areas of Apis mellifera in Puerto Rico.


Species 1: Hymenoptera Apidae Apis mellifera (honey bee)