AERIAL BIOLOGY
Aerial Biology and Entomology
Aerial entomology is generally understood as the study of airborne insects and also arachnids such as spiders and ticks.
At any one time there are millions of insects flying or floating in the air. Accessing these insects has always been difficult so the field is badly studied and open to significant new discoveries.
However, using Helikites to aid research can dramatically improve because even the smallest Helikite can easily lift nets hundreds or thousands of feet into the air to capture even the smallest, invisible, airborne species.
Amazingly, Helikites can also be used highly effectively to sample animal life living in tall trees by allowing the insect net below the Helikite to brush against the leaves thus causing the insects to fall into the net. This field of study has never been possible to investigate in such a way before. It is far more simple and humane than the traditional way of sampling by fogging the trees with insecticide, to cause the insects to fall dead to the ground.
Helikites allow information to be rapidly gained about migration, population levels, agricultural pest behaviour, disease vector transmission, forest ecology, bat and bird prey, genetic studies, seasonal and weather factors related to flight, and numerous other important subjects.
Such work is now starting to be done by various universities and study groups with great success, but there are huge gaps in knowledge waiting to be discovered. Every time a Helikite is used for insect sampling, surprising results are obtained.
Unlike blimps and other aerostats, Helikites are stable in almost all weather conditions.