Bioacoustic IoT Sensors as Next-Generation Tools for Monitoring: Counting Flying Insects through Buzz

Simple Summary The decline in global biodiversity due to habitat loss, climate change, and human activities necessitates effective monitoring. Flying insects, such as pollinators, which are crucial for ecosystem functions, require a thorough assessment. While informative, conventional methods, including hand netting, transect surveys, and pan traps, are labour-intensive or offer snapshots of limited scope. This study conducts a comparative analysis of traditional and innovative methods involving the recording and analysis of buzzing sounds emitted by flying insects. Insect abundance, reported as counts for traditional methods gathered by pan traps, and average buzzes per hour, measured by acoustic IoT (Internet of Things) sensors, were correlated. This finding suggests that acoustic automatic monitoring shows the potential to circumvent the limitations of conventional methods, emphasising continuous, non-intrusive monitoring for robust data acquisition. The development of passive detection devices will pave the way to implement new, sustainable approaches to enhance conservation efforts and ecosystem management, advancing our understanding of flying insect dynamics amidst global biodiversity challenges.Abstract The global loss of biodiversity is an urgent concern requiring the implementation of effective monitoring. Flying insects, such as pollinators, are vital for ecosystems, and establishing their population dynamics has become essential in conservation biology. Traditional monitoring methods are labour-intensive and show time constraints. In this work, we explore the use of bioacoustic sensors for monitoring flying insects. Data collected at four Italian farms using traditional monitoring methods, such as hand netting and pan traps, and bioacoustic sensors were compared. The results showed a positive correlation between the average number of buzzes per hour and insect abundance measured by traditional methods, primarily by pan traps. Intraday and long-term analysis performed on buzzes revealed temperature-related patterns of insect activity. Passive acoustic monitoring proved to be effective in estimating flying insect abundance, while further development of the algorithm is required to correctly identify insect taxa. Overall, innovative technologies, such as bioacoustic sensors, do not replace the expertise and data quality provided by professionals, but they offer unprecedented opportunities to ease insect monitoring to support conservation biodiversity efforts.