Traditionally in agriculture, the monitoring of pollinating insects has been based on direct observation during many hours in which insect visits are recorded in the field.

However, this method, in addition to requiring a great economic and training effort, is limited to daytime sampling without considering the contribution of nocturnal pollinators.

To achieve a better solution, a team of academics from the Universidad Mayor will develop a technological tool capable of quantifying the pollination service provided by honey bees and other pollinating insects.

Innovation "is key to optimizing both the use of hives and improving our knowledge of other pollinating insects to take advantage of the full potential of this ecosystem service," explains Paul Amouroux, an academic at the Hémera Earth Observation Center, U. Mayor, who is leading the study.

Unlike other projects developed so far, the U. Mayor team "will focus on all pollinating insects, including the four orders of insects relevant to pollination (Hymenoptera, Diptera, Coleoptera, Lepidoptera)," adds the entomologist.

The service will provide concrete data on pollination services in crops. "It will be possible to have an idea of the activity of these insects in the orchard, their residence time or floral manipulation, and thus an estimate of their efficiency," Dr. Amouroux explains.

Prototype

The first step in developing the technology will be to create a prototype camera trap to record daytime and nighttime insects visiting flowers, and to record environmental data such as temperature and humidity.

The performance of the camera trap and the quality of the recorded data will be evaluated in avocado plantations of the company Agrícola Fundo Bucalemu, which collaborates in the project.

The U. Mayor team in charge of the development of the project is also integrated by Maureen Murúa, academic of the Genomics, Ecology and Environment Center - GEMA, Iván Ramírez, academic of the School of Civil Electronic Engineering (Escuela de Ingeniería Civil Electrónica,), Paulina Lüer, graduate of the Civil Electronic Engineering career and Fernanda Ríos, engineering student. As well as students of forestry engineering and agronomy.

The project has a duration of 8 months and was selected in the 1st Crea 2030 Applied Research Contest of the Science and Innovation for the Future Consortium, formed by Universidad Mayor, Universidad de Atacama, Universidad Autónoma de Chile and Universidad de Tarapacá.