Implementation of Scheimpflug Lidar for Entomological Monitoring of Bark Beetles

Abstract: Bark beetles are responsible for great damages to Swedish forestry every year. This project focuses on a method of entomological lidar called Scheimpflug lidar to detect and monitor bark beetles. Scheimpflug lidar uses old techniques from photography to achieve a deep field of focus to resolve objects over long distances. Measurements were made in the field as well as in the lab with trapped specimens. Their wing beat frequency was estimated using a parametrization method where their backscattered signals are fitted to harmonic functions. Scheimpflug lidar was also used to detect an ammonium chloride plume to visualize the movement of pheromones in the wind. Finally, using thin film interference from specular bark beetle wing reflections, an estimate of wing thickness was made, which might prove possible to aid in species identification in the future.