Recent Developments in Scanning Harmonic Radar for Tracking Insects in Low-Altitude Flight

Joseph R. Riley, Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, NRI Radar Unit, North Site, Leigh Sinton Road, Malvern, Worcestershire, WR14 1LL United Kingdom

The paper will describe the use of sub-milligram tags to study the flight dynamics of airborne insects in the field. The maximum range of the harmonic radar is approximately 700 m, giving coverage over a circular area 1.4 km in diameter. Within this area, position fixes (bearing and range) of tagged insects are produced every 3 sec. Examples of flight trajectory data gathered from bees and other insects will be presented. Possible application of the technique to vertebrates will also be discussed.

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