Accelerometers |Microphones | nVision | CHARM | Mini Acoustic Chambers | BARS | VibroFibre | ME'scope | Insect Vibration
BBB - Bay Bug Box
(Insect Stimulation & Recording System)
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Insects are studied for many reasons including optimisation of their role in plant pollination e.g. Bees and in pest control e.g. Chrysoperla (Lacewing); In particular an understanding of their methods of communication is important if we wish to understand and eventually influence their behaviour. The BBB enables researchers study the low frequency vibrations that some insects use. The BBB will stimulate a specimen insect using a recorded vibration or sound and then allow the researcher to record the insects response. The system comprises: - | |
Time History recording of the Chrysoperla (Lacewing); this particular example was recorded by our
customer in India within a few days of receiving their first BBB.
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| The frequency of these signals is extremely low; typically between 30 – 125Hz. The amplitude is also very low as the insect is small it has limited capability to generate noise and or vibrations at these low frequencies. The “sound” when played through a loudspeaker will only be audible when amplified by 100+ times i.e. 40dB. The sound when the insect e.g. a Lacewing is on a leaf or in our laboratory “studio” will be inaudible. | |
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The wavelet analysis is particularly well suited to the analysis of the lacewing “songs” the ability to capture both the instantaneous frequency and its amplitude allows the underlying modulations to be easily identified. The time axis is horizontal i.e. the X axis. The Frequency axis is the Y axis and the intensity or level of the vibration/sound is the degree of colour; blue is low and red is high level. |
| Sample recording of a Lace Wing made with the BBB (.wav) | BugBox Manual (.pdf) |