Evaluating the efficacy of tagging adhesives for insect tracking
Breen, L.C.R., Roberts, J.M. and Pope, T.W. (2026) Evaluating the efficacy of tagging adhesives for insect tracking. Agricultural and Forest Entomology. ISSN 1461-9555
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Abstract
Ground beetles (Carabidae) are important predators and ecosystem service providers in agricultural landscapes, yet understanding their movement ecology remains challenging due to methodological limitations in tracking individual insects. Radio‐frequency identification (RFID) technology offers a promising approach for monitoring beetle movements, but successful implementation requires reliable tag attachment. We evaluated five adhesive types (water‐based polyvinyl acetate, latex‐based cosmetic adhesive, low‐viscosity cyanoacrylate, gel‐viscosity cyanoacrylate and two‐part epoxy resin) for the strength of RFID tag adhesion on carabid beetles across three genera ( Harpalus , Leistus and Poecilus). Using a Gamma generalised linear model (GLM) with a log link, we found significant differences among adhesive types. Araldite epoxy provided the strongest adhesion (mean separation mass = 110.2 ± 58.2 g), significantly exceeding all other adhesives. Light abrasion of the elytra significantly improved adhesion in Leistus rufomarginatus, with sanded surfaces showing a 2.5‐fold greater separation mass than smooth surfaces. We recommend using a two‐part epoxy resin with light elytra abrasion to maximise the strength of RFID tag adhesion in studies on carabids.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | adhesive, Carabidae, insect tracking, movement ecology, radio-frequency identification, RFID, tagretention |
| Divisions: | Research Centres > Centre for Crop and Environmental Science > Entomology Group |
| Depositing User: | Rebecca Pendragon |
| Date Deposited: | 15 Jun 2026 14:35 |
| Last Modified: | 15 Jun 2026 14:35 |
| URI: | https://hau.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/id/eprint/18389 |
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