Submitted to: Subtropical Plant Science
Publication Acceptance Date: January 20, 2004
Publication Date: August 1, 2004
Citation: Everitt, J.H., Summy, K.R., Escobar, D.E., Davis, M.R. 2004. Applications Of Airborne Remote Sensing In Integrated Pest Management. Subtropical Plant Science. 55(1):59-67.

Technical Abstract: This paper presents four exemplary applications of aerial photography and videography, global positioning system (GPS), and geographic information system (GIS) technologies for detecting, monitoring, and mapping insect infestations in agriculture, forestry, and rangeland areas. Applications demonstrated include detecting and mapping: (1) citrus blackfly (Aleurocanthus woglumi Ashby) infestations in citrus orchards; (2) silverleaf whitefly (Bemisia argentifolii Bellows and Perring) infestations in cotton; (3) harvester ant (Pogonomyrex barbatus F. Smith) infestations on rangelands; and (4) western pine beetle (Dendroctonus brevicomis LeConte) infestations in a forested area. The integration of a GPS with the video imagery permitted latitude and longitude coordinates of insect infestations to be recorded on each image. The GPS coordinates were entered into a GIS to map insect infestations on a regional scale. The integration of remote sensing, GPS, and GIS provide valuable tools that can enable resource managers to develop maps showing the distribution of insect infestations over large areas. The digital imagery can serve as a permanent geographically located image data base for monitoring future contraction or spread of insect infestations over time.