Autonomous camera traps for insects provide a tool for long-term remote monitoring of insects. These systems bring together cameras, computer vision, and autonomous infrastructure such as solar panels, mini computers, and data telemetry to collect images of insects.
With increasing recognition of the importance of insects as the dominant component of almost all ecosystems, there are growing concerns that insect biodiversity has declined globally, with serious consequences for the ecosystem services on which we all depend.
Automated camera traps for insects offer one of the best practical and cost-effective solutions for more standardised monitoring of insects across the globe. However, to realise this we need interdisciplinary teams who can work together to develop the hardware systems, AI components, metadata standards, data analysis, and much more.
This WILDLABS group has been set up by people from around the world who have individually been tackling parts of this challenge and who believe we can do more by working together.
We hope you will become part of this group where we share our knowledge and expertise to advance this technology.
Check out Tom's Variety Hour talk for an introduction to this group.
Learn about Autonomous Camera Traps for Insects by checking out recordings of our webinar series:
- Hardware design of camera traps for moth monitoring
- Assessing the effectiveness of these autonomous systems in real-world settings, and comparing results with traditional monitoring methods
- Designing machine learning tools to process camera trap data automatically
- Developing automated camera systems for monitoring pollinators
- India-focused projects on insect monitoring
Meet the rest of the group and introduce yourself on our welcome thread - https://www.wildlabs.net/discussion/welcome-autonomous-camera-traps-insects-group
Group curators
- @tom_august
- | he/him
Computational ecologist with interests in computer vision, citizen science, open science, drones, acoustics, data viz, software engineering, public engagement



- 8 Resources
- 53 Discussions
- 5 Groups



- 9 Resources
- 2 Discussions
- 9 Groups
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 4 Groups
- @peterdesmet
- | he/him
Biodiversity informatician at INBO. Passionate about open data and open science. I develop research software, maintain data standards and publish datasets, mostly for animal movement research.
- 0 Resources
- 1 Discussions
- 5 Groups
- @steventay
- | TAY
Dynamique ET PROACTIF, JE SUIS PASSIONNÉ PAR LA PROTECTION DE L'ENVIRONNEMENT, LE TOURISME RESPONSABLE ET LA CONSERVATION DES ÉCOSYSTÈMES.
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 8 Groups
- @mattaudette
- | he, him, his
Software Tester and Test Automator at Wildlife Protection Solutions
- 0 Resources
- 1 Discussions
- 24 Groups
- @williams
- | He/Him
I am a conservationist specializing in endangered species, particularly vultures. As the Endangered Species Conservation Coordinator/Co-Founder at Biota Conservation Hub Foundation (BiotaCHF), I have conducted extensive research/conservation of vultures and other water birds.
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 14 Groups
- @ARobillard
- | He/Him
A conservation data scientist and field ecologist with broad interest in the application of machine learning and population genetics to the conservation of threatened species. Alex has conducted field studies throughout central and south America, the Caribbean, and North America.
- 2 Resources
- 2 Discussions
- 8 Groups
- @lqmeyers
- | he/him
Graduate Student Researcher interested in computer vision, agro-ecology, and sustainability.
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 4 Groups
- @apcxs
- | He, his, them
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 11 Groups
- @tom_august
- | he/him
Computational ecologist with interests in computer vision, citizen science, open science, drones, acoustics, data viz, software engineering, public engagement



- 8 Resources
- 53 Discussions
- 5 Groups
- @womble
- | he/him
AI Researcher, with 30+ years experience in academia and industry. Currently consulting for a company using drone imagery to analyse property heat loss. Expertise in machine learning, NLP, python, Google Cloud. https://julianrichardson.net
- 0 Resources
- 6 Discussions
- 6 Groups
- @Grace_Kioko
- | She
I am an arachnologists from Kenya with over 9years experience. I enjoy training the public on importance of arachnids through public talks, walks and media engagements. I published a recent checklist from Kenya and encourage citizen science through iNaturalists uploads to map sp
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 1 Groups
- 0 Resources
- 3 Discussions
- 8 Groups
WildLabs will soon launch a 'Funding and Finance' group. What would be your wish list for such a group? Would you be interested in co-managing or otherwise helping out?
5 June 2024
Do you have photos and videos of your conservation tech work? We want to include them in a conservation technology showcase video
17 May 2024
€2,000 travel grants are available for researchers interested in insect monitoring using automated cameras and computer vision
3 May 2024
Article
Read in detail about how to use The Inventory, our new living directory of conservation technology tools, organisations, and R&D projects.
1 May 2024
Article
The Inventory is your one-stop shop for conservation technology tools, organisations, and R&D projects. Start contributing to it now!
1 May 2024
The Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to help us integrate movement data & camera trap data with global conservation policy.
22 April 2024
We invite applications for the third Computer Vision for Ecology (CV4E) workshop, a three-week hands-on intensive course in CV targeted at graduate students, postdocs, early faculty, and junior researchers in Ecology...
12 February 2024
The primary focus of the research is to explore how red deer movements, space use, habitat selection and foraging behaviour change during the wolf recolonization process.
10 February 2024
Outstanding chance for a motivated and ambitious individual to enhance their current project support skills by engaging with a diverse array of exciting projects in the field of biodiversity science.
11 December 2023
Two-year postdoc in AI and remote sensing for citizen-science pollinator monitoring, at Aarhus University. The successful candidate will integrate our computational entomologist team to develop and deploy novel methods...
4 December 2023
Join the NightLife team where you'll blend entomology expertise with technological innovation using automated insect monitoring.
25 October 2023
Article
We are a group of students at UW-Madison who have built a working prototype for insect imaging. The light trap is aimed at photographing aquatic insects.
18 September 2023
May 2025
December 2023
event
November 2023
event
Description | Activity | Replies | Groups | Updated |
---|---|---|---|---|
We have spent the past 9 months taking the lessons learnt from the AMI system to build an automated moth monitoring system... |
|
Autonomous Camera Traps for Insects, Camera Traps | 1 day 8 hours ago | |
The mothbox can currently be attached to a solar panel super easy (just plug in a barrel jack up to 20v 80 watts) and it charges the talentcell battery. We also monitor the power... |
|
Autonomous Camera Traps for Insects | 2 weeks 6 days ago | |
Otherwise Australian Entomology Supplies has a few options available such as UV lights and black lights, such as a this portable UV lamp. They can ship internationally. |
+5
|
Autonomous Camera Traps for Insects | 3 weeks 4 days ago | |
I'm excited to announce that Outreach Robotics has finalized the development of our new insect camera traps, now officially named ... |
|
Autonomous Camera Traps for Insects | 4 weeks 1 day ago | |
Hey Amber, that makes a lot of sense! And this effort by Insect Detect is amazing, thanks for sharing! |
|
AI for Conservation, Autonomous Camera Traps for Insects | 1 month ago | |
Hi all, I'm Vainqueur BULAMBO. I'm looking for a fully funded PhD opportunity in ecological data science or conservation... |
|
Acoustics, AI for Conservation, Autonomous Camera Traps for Insects | 1 month 2 weeks ago | |
@hikinghack that's a complete update!A lot of compassion regarding the budget situation, especially knowing how great @briannaljohns is.It’s great to see a clear plan for the... |
|
Autonomous Camera Traps for Insects | 2 months 1 week ago | |
Thanks! Yes, we added electronics to power an external UV light only during periods when the camera is set to take pictures. |
+23
|
Autonomous Camera Traps for Insects, Camera Traps | 2 months 3 weeks ago | |
Me and @briannajohns field tested amphibious deployments for the Mothbox in cool jungle rivers!We designed the Mothbox to be super... |
|
Autonomous Camera Traps for Insects | 3 months ago | |
featuring @briannajohns @hikinghack @Hubertszcz |
|
Autonomous Camera Traps for Insects | 3 months 2 weeks ago | |
Sounds like so much fun. Would love to replicate this one out here in Cambodia |
|
Autonomous Camera Traps for Insects | 3 months 4 weeks ago | |
Wow! What a start of the year! Congratulations! |
|
Autonomous Camera Traps for Insects | 4 months 1 week ago |