Lab study system

The combination of our software, video and computer hardware, and services allows you to collect and analyze insect behavioral data in great detail.

Concentrate completely on the insects to be observed and logging their behaviors; The Observer XT automatically adds time stamps to the logged events.
Code detailed behavior rapidly and automatically calculate statistics, such as the total duration an individual insect was probing the plant surface.
Log behavior live or from previously recorded video files.
Select data for analysis in order to calculate statistics on certain observations, insects, or event types, not others.
Playback those parts of the video in which a lot of behaviors occurred to take a second look at it and edit or add events.
Make clips of those video parts of interest to you.

Examples of parameters

Percentage of time spent feeding in the photophase versus the scotophase.
Mean duration of feeding bouts.
Rate of antennal drumming.
Number of copulation attempts by a male to each female.
Duration of interfeeding periods.
Number of oviposition events in high-temperature environment versus low-temperature environment.
Latency to first copulation in presence of a female of a particular population.

Components

Typical components

Optional components

Selected publications

Messina, F.; Bloxham, A.; Seargent, A. (2007). Mating compatibility between geographic populations of the seed beetle Callosobruchus maculatus. Journal of Insect Behavior, 20, 489-501.
Socha, R.; Zemek R. (2007). Temporal pattern of feeding activity in the firebug Pyrrhocoris apterus and its relation to sex, wing dimorphism and physiological state of adults. Physiological Entomology, 32, 16-25.