Skip to main content

WSR-88D doppler radar detection of corn earworm moth migration

International Journal of Biometeorology volume 58, pages 931–940 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

Corn earworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) (CEW) populations infesting one crop production area may rapidly migrate and infest distant crop production areas. Although entomological radars have detected corn earworm moth migrations, the spatial extent of the radar coverage has been limited to a small horizontal view above crop production areas. The Weather Service Radar (version 88D) (WSR-88D) continuously monitors the radar-transmitted energy reflected by, and radial speed of, biota as well as by precipitation over areas that may encompass crop production areas. We analyzed data from the WSR-88D radar (S-band) at Brownsville, Texas, and related these data to aerial concentrations of CEW estimated by a scanning entomological radar (X-band) and wind velocity measurements from rawinsonde and pilot balloon ascents. The WSR-88D radar reflectivity was positively correlated (r 2 = 0.21) with the aerial concentration of corn earworm-size insects measured by a scanning X-band radar. WSR-88D radar constant altitude plan position indicator estimates of wind velocity were positively correlated with wind speed (r 2 = 0.56) and wind direction (r 2 = 0.63) measured by pilot balloons and rawinsondes. The results reveal that WSR-88D radar measurements of insect concentration and displacement speed and direction can be used to estimate the migratory flux of corn earworms and other nocturnal insects, information that could benefit areawide pest management programs. In turn, identification of the effects of spatiotemporal patterns of migratory flights of corn earworm-size insects on WSR-88D radar measurements may lead to the development of algorithms that increase the accuracy of WSR-88D radar measurements of reflectivity and wind velocity for operational meteorology.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10

References

  • Achtemeier GL (1991) The use of insects as tracers for “clear-air” boundary-layer studies by Doppler radar. J Atmos Oceanic Technol 8:746–765

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barker T (1994) RDRHGT.EXE computer program. Western Regional Programming Note No. 109. USDC/NOAA/NWS, Missoula, MT

  • Beerwinkle KR, Witz JA, Schleider PG (1993) An automated, vertical looking, X-band radar system for continuously monitoring aerial insect activity. Trans Am Soc Agr Eng 36:965–970

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman JW, Reynolds DR, Smith AD (2003) Vertical-looking radar: a new tool for monitoring high-altitude insect migration. BioScience 53:503–511

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman JW, Nesbit RL, Burgin LE, Reynolds DR, Smith AD, Middleton DR, Hill JK (2010) Flight orientation behaviors promote optimal migration trajectories in high-flying insects. Science 327:682–685

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman JW, Drake VA, Reynolds DR (2011) Recent insights from radar studies of insect flight. Annu Rev Entomol 56:337–356

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman JW, Bell JR, Burgin LE, Reynolds DR, Pettersson LB, Hill JK, Bonsall MB, Thomas JA (2012) Seasonal migration to high latitudes results in major reproductive benefits in an insect. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 109:14924–14929

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chilson PB, Bridge E, Frick WF, Chapman JW, Kelly JF (2012a) Radar aeroecology: exploring the movements of aerial fauna through radio-wave remote sensing. Biol Lett 8:698–701

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chilson PB, Frick W, Kelly J, Howard K, Kelly A, Diehl R, Larkin R, Westbrook J, Kunz T (2012b) Partly cloudy with a chance of migration: weather, radars, and aeroecology. Bull Am Meteorol Soc 93:669–686

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chilson PB, Frick WF, Stepanian PM, Shipley JR. Kunz TH, Kelly JF (2012c) Estimating animal densities in the aerosphere using weather radar: to Z or not to Z?, Ecosphere 3, article 72. doi:10.1890/ES12-00027.1

  • Crum TD, Alberty RL (1993) The WSR-88D and the WSR-88D operational support facility. Bull Am Meteorol Soc 74:1669–1687

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dean TJ, Drake VA (2005) Monitoring insect migration with radar: the ventral–aspect polarization pattern and its potential for target identification. Int J Rem Sens 26:3957–3974

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dokter A, Liechti F, Stark H, Delobbe L, Tabary P, Holleman I (2011) Bird migration flight altitudes studied by a network of operational weather radars. J R Soc Interface 8:30–43

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doviak RJ, Zrnic DS (1984) Doppler weather radar and weather observations. Academic, New York

  • Feng HQ, Zhao XC, Wu XF, Wu B, Wu K, Cheng DF, Guo YY (2008) Autumn migration of Mythimna separata (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) over the Bohai Sea in Northern China. Environ Entomol 37:774–781

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Feng H, Wu X, Wu B, Wu K (2009) Seasonal migration of Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) over the Bohai Sea. J Econ Entomol 10:95–104

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gauthreaux SA Jr, Belser GG (1998) Displays of bird movements on the WSR-88D: patterns and quantification. Weather Forecast 13:453–464

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gauthreaux SA Jr, Mizrahi DS, Belser GG (1998) Bird migration and bias of WSR-88D: wind estimates. Weather Forecast 13:465–481

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hobbs SE, Aldhous AC (2006) Insect ventral radar cross-section polarization dependence measurements for radar entomology. IEE Proc-Radar Sonar Navig 153:502–508

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Horn JW, Kunz TH (2008) Analyzing NEXRAD Doppler radar images to assess nightly dispersal patterns and population trends in Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis). Integr Comp Biol 48:24–39

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jain M, Eilts M, Hondl K (1993) Observed differences of the horizontal wind derived from Doppler radar and a balloon-borne atmospheric sounding system. Preprints of the 8th Symposium on Meteorological Observations and Instrumentation, Anaheim, CA, American Meteorological Society, Boston, MA

  • Klazura GE, Imy DA (1993) A description of the initial set of analysis products available from the NEXRAD WSR-88D system. Bull Am Meteorol Soc 74:1293–1311

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Larkin RP, Evans WR, Diehl RH (2002) Nocturnal flight calls of Dickcissels and Doppler radar echoes over South Texas in spring. J Field Ornithol 7:2–8

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller PA, Barth MF, Smart JR, Benjamin LA (1997) The extent of bird contamination in the hourly winds measured by the NOAA Profiler Network: Results before and after implementation of the new bird contamination quality control check. Preprints of the 1st Symposium on Integrated Observing Systems, Long Beach, CA, American Meteorological Society, Boston, MA

  • Nieminen M, Leskinen M, Helenius J (2000) Doppler radar detection of exceptional mass-migration of aphids into Finland. Intl J Biometeor 44:172–181

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • NOAA (1990) Doppler radar meteorological observations; Part B: Doppler radar theory and meteorology (Interim Version One). US Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admininistration, Federal Meteorological Handbook Number 11

  • Orton R, Haddock DJ, Bice EG, Webb AC (1967) Climatic Guide: The Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, College Station, TX, USA, Bulletin Number MP-841

  • Raulston JR, Pair SD, Loera J, Sparks AN, Wolf WW, Westbrook JK, Fitt GP, Rogers CE (1992) Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) pupa production in fruiting corn in northeast Mexico and south Texas. Environ Entomol 21:1393–1397

    Google Scholar 

  • Rennie SJ, Dance SL, Illingworth AJ, Ballard SP, Simonin D (2011) 3D-Var assimilation of insect-derived Doppler radar radial winds in convective cases using a high resolution model. Mon Weather Rev 139:1148–1163

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds DR (1988) Twenty years of radar entomology. Antenna 12:44–49

    Google Scholar 

  • Riley JR (1985) Radar cross section of insects. Proc IEEE 73:228–232

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith AD, Riley JR (1996) Signal processing in a novel radar system for monitoring insect migration. Comput Electron Agric 15:267–278

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Westbrook JK, Eyster RS (2003) Nocturnal migrations of cotton insect pests indicated by Doppler radar observations. Proc Beltwide Cotton Conf, National Cotton Council, Memphis, TN, pp 997–1003

  • Westbrook JK, Wolf WW, Lingren PD, Raulston JR (1994) Tracking tetroons to evaluate budworm and bollworm migration. Proc Beltwide Cotton Conf, National Cotton Council, Memphis, TN, pp 791–793

  • Wilson JW, Weckwerth TM, Vivekanandan J, Wakimoto RM, Russell RW (1994) Boundary layer clear-air radar echoes: origin of echoes and accuracy of derived winds. J Atmos Oceanic Technol 11:1184–1206

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wolf WW, Westbrook JK, Sparks AN (1986) Relationship between radar entomological measurements and atmospheric structure in south Texas during March and April 1982. Long-range Migration of Moths of Agronomic Importance to the United States and Canada: Specific Examples of Occurrence and Synoptic Weather Patterns Conducive to Migration, A. N. Sparks, Ed., US Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC. Report ARS-43, pp 84–97

  • Wolf WW, Vaughn CR, Harris R, Loper GM (1993) Insect radar cross-sections for aerial density measurements and target classification. Trans Am Soc Agric Eng 36:949–954

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wolf WW, Westbrook JK, Raulston JR, Pair SD, Lingren PD (1995) Radar observations of orientation of noctuids migrating from corn fields in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Southwestern Entomol Suppl 18:45–61

    Google Scholar 

  • Wood CR, Chapman JW, Reynolds DR, Barlow JF, Smith AD, Woiwod IP (2006) The influence of the atmospheric boundary layer on nocturnal layers of noctuids and other moths migrating over southern Britain. Int J Biometeorol 50:193–204

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zrnic DS, Ryzhkov AV (1998a) Observations of insects and birds with a polarimetric radar. Geosci Rem Sens 36:661–668

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zrnic DS, Ryzhkov AV (1998b) Polarimetry for weather surveillance radars. Bull Am Meteorol Soc 80:389–406

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

P.D. Lingren initiated the collaboration between insect migration scientists and operational meteorologists for development of insect monitoring applications of the NEXRAD WSR-88D Doppler weather radar system. J.A. Lee and S. Fuller helped to install software, process data, and generate graphics. P.G. Schleider, E.C. Lawrence, A.A. Morrison, and J.A. Lee assisted with meteorological and radar entomological field operations. D. Priegnitz and L.R. Johnson explained the use of earlier versions of software to display WSR-88D data. S. Allen, J.D. Ward, N. Rydell, P. Yura, J. Snyder, and B. Read ensured that the requested radar scanning mode was operating when archiving WSR-88D radar data products during the field study. Mention of trade names or commercial products in this publication is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the US Department of Agriculture. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Areawide Pest Management Research Unit, USDA-ARS, 2771 F & B Road, College Station, TX, 77845-4966, USA

    J. K. Westbrook, R. S. Eyster & W. W. Wolf

Authors
  1. J. K. Westbrook
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R. S. Eyster
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. W. W. Wolf
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. K. Westbrook.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Westbrook, J.K., Eyster, R.S. & Wolf, W.W. WSR-88D doppler radar detection of corn earworm moth migration. Int J Biometeorol 58, 931–940 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-013-0676-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-013-0676-5

Keywords

  • Insect
  • Biometeorology
  • Aerobiology
  • Aeroecology
  • Dispersal