Development of a cost-effective IoT-based smart fruit fly trap with LoRa communication for area-wide pest monitoring
Abstract
Fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) are among the most destructive pests of horticultural crops, requiring continuous and coordinated surveillance to support effective Area-Wide Pest Management (AWPM). This study developed and evaluated a low-cost IoT-based smart fruit fly trap designed for automated pest monitoring under field conditions. The system was adapted from a conventional fruit fly trap and integrated with automatic infrared counting sensors, environmental sensors, a microcontroller, and LoRa/GSM communication for wireless data transmission Sensor performance was evaluated under laboratory conditions using three fruit fly population densities (10, 30, and 50 individuals). Single- and two-sensor configurations produced relatively low counting accuracy (<35% and 34–58%, respectively), whereas the three-sensor configuration consistently achieved counting accuracies exceeding >84%, demonstrating reliable automated insect detection. Power consumption remained stable during sensing operations, with only brief increases during data transmission, allowing the system to operate for approximately 3.5 days using rechargeable batteries before recharging. Field evaluation showed that LoRa communication maintained stable wireless data transmission over distances of up to 3 km, enabling coordinated monitoring across multiple trapping locations. Monitoring data were transmitted to a web-based platform for real-time visualization, storage, and management, facilitating rapid access to pest population information. The developed smart trapping system provides a practical, affordable, and energy-efficient approach for large-scale fruit fly surveillance and has strong potential to support timely decision-making in AWPM programs and sustainable pest management.
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References
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