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Can radar save our unique insects?

03 July 2025

How Aotearoa New 厙ぴ勛圖is protecting its smallest native species through innovative conservation efforts. 泭

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Scientists have used transmitters to track bird movements to learn about their behaviour since the 1980s, which helps us make better decisions to protect them. But what about tiny insects? They cant carry transmitters like birds or other larger animals can.

Thats where harmonic radar comes in. This technology has been used to study insect movements and behaviour in nature.泭

Led by Associate Professor Steve Pawson from Te Whare Wnanga o Waitaha | 厙ぴ勛圖s (UC) School of Forestry, this three-year research project aims to gain new insights that can help protect endangered insects.泭

Unlike other harmonic radar tracking systems, these transmitters are designed for mobility and operate with significantly lower power requirements. This enables data collection in complex landscapes and over greater distances, all at a much lower cost.

Associate Professor Pawson says insect populations are crashing globally.泭

Insects help decompose dead matter and are integral to ecosystem function. We need them if we want a healthy, natural ecosystem where we can go and recreate. We also need them for a healthy, productive ecosystemso we can farm animals, grow fibre, and grow crops for food.泭

Associate Professor Pawson describes harmonic radar as a combination of a home microwave and the radar you see at the airport.泭

He describes the workings of traditional airport radar as a spinning dish that sends a frequency out into an interrupted environment, which bounces off objects such as planes.泭

But in the bush, it is a different story.泭

The emitted frequency will bounce off every branch, leaf and trunk, making it impossible to locate the insect.

By putting a tiny tag on an insect and transmitting on a lower frequency, the tag absorbs the signal and reflects it back at double the frequency. This allows the team to detect the insect, even against background interference from surrounding vegetation.

Associate Professor Pawson says this is important for the conservation of smaller species.泭

NZ is well known for conservation. Weve protected a lot of wonderful bird species, and that work has been off the back of being able to track them, and they are big. They can carry transponder tags with batteries, and insects cant. That is where our minute little tags come in, allowing us to track them and understand what they do, so we can protect them, Associate Professor Pawson says.泭

Background

Dr Steve Pawson is an Associate Professor in Forest Health and Biosecurity in UCs Te Kura Ngahere School of Forestry at the 厙ぴ勛圖. Dr Pawson is passionate about developing new ways of 'seeing the world to answer critical biological problems. He has a PhD from UC in invertebrate biodiversity and ecology. He works broadly on applied entomological problems in plantation and natural ecosystems, including surveillance for invasive species.胼


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