This led to my arrival at PSU and the current project investigating spatial dynamics of Colorado potato beetle (CPB), Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say), within potato fields. With the assistance of space age technology (on the right), we are spatially referencing locations of CPB within potato fields through the course of population development. What you see pictured on my back is a Trimble Pro XL global positioning systems antenna and receiver (over my left shoulder), which is coupled to an OMNISTAR antenna and receiver (over my right shoulder), the latter providing the Pro XL with correctional information. Together this equipment provided estimates of beetle locations at +/- a meter. Since this photo was taken (June 1997) we have upgraded the system by using the Trimble XRS, which directly receives the correctional information and provides submeter accuracy. The positional information and beetle counts at a given location are recorded in the yellow hand-held datapod (TDC-1), which are later downloaded to a computer for analyses.
It is my hope to take the experience gained in this model system and apply it to other populations and communities (e.g. ants) in the future.
Landscape position of potato (and tomato) fields 1996-2000 - map
