WIRED Staff
Science

Slideshow: Insects Go Buggy Over Odors

Researchers use a motorized sphere as a testing ground to determine which scents insects find irresistible. Their goal is to discover a way to lure bugs away from crops. By Louise Knapp.
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A Colorado potato beetle responds to a blend of plant odors emmited by the servosphere tube; entomologist Dickens studies the beetle's movements.Stephen Ausmus

See related story: Insects Go Buggy Over Odors

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Entomologist Joseph C. Dickens uses the servosphere in conjunction with the computer program SphereTrack to determine how insects move in relation to external stimuli such as scent and light.

Stephen Ausmus
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The Colorado potato beetle has black and yellow stripes that are easily detected by the servosphere's sensory device.

Scott Bauer