Speaker
Description
The drastic global decline in insect populations poses a severe threat to ecosystems worldwide. However, a major bottleneck in understanding these trends is the lack of affordable, reliable, and scalable monitoring methods. The LEPMON (Lepidoptera Monitoring) project addresses this gap by developing a framework for the comprehensive monitoring of moths and other nocturnal insects in Germany. LEPMON utilizes Automated Recorders for Nocturnal Insects (ARNIs) to exploit the natural attraction of nocturnal insects to artificial light, photographing them as they settle.
We present two variations of our ARNI: the ARNI Pro, designed with high-end components for long-term professional deployment, and the ARNI CS, a cost-effective alternative utilizing lower-cost optics for wider accessibility. All components of an ARNI must work together to withstand challenging field conditions, including forest canopies to tropical environments, and be controlled by appropriate software. Captured images are subsequently processed using artificial intelligence for automated species identification. Over 100 ARNIs will be deployed across Germany in 2026, enabling high-resolution monitoring of moth populations across time and space. We will present the current state of the LEPMON project, sharing insights and methodology backed by a dataset of over one million images.
| Status Group | Senior Scientist |
|---|---|
| FOR TALKS: Poster Presentation Option | No, I prefer to present only as a talk. |