A perspective on chemical attractant-based insect trapping: from disparate paradigms to an interoperable scientific toolbox

Attractant-based trapping is governed by complex interactions among plume dynamics, insect movement, behavioral thresholds, lure aging, and spatial design. The field is bedeviled by inconsistent terminology and a relative paucity of rigorous mathematical approaches that have the potential to improve general understanding while advancing and facilitating pest management. In this Perspective, we review the current state of the art, with an emphasis on recent developments, and outline initiatives that in our view would benefit the study of insect trapping and its practical applications. Specifically, we propose to: (1) Standardize terminology that unifies concepts such as active space, plume reach, and D50 to enable direct comparison across studies and species. (2) Adopt mathematical frameworks that are aligned with biological reality and can be readily applied by non-specialists. (3) Require operational demonstration: a model is only useful if researchers, growers, and management programs can apply it. (4) Develop optimized experimental protocols and analytical methods and tools that efficiently generate the parameters each model requires. (5) Leverage emerging AI tools to integrate data streams, automate classification, and improve trap interpretation. Benefits of these proposals are exemplified by systems such as USDA’s Slow the Spread Program, which interprets data from ~100000 traps across ~186000 km² each year. A unified, quantitative, and practical framework will allow attractant-based trapping to reach its full potential for early detection and pest management.