Beetles on the move: Not-just-a-technical review of beetles' radio-tracking

Abstract

Radio telemetry with very high-frequency transmitters is a powerful tool for studying the movement patterns of animals. Although this tracking technology is widely utilized for various vertebrates, its application is limited to only a fraction of large-bodied insect species. Among them, beetles are the most popular insect group used for radio-tracking due to their relatively large body size, solid exoskeleton, and to some extent the well-known ecological background of some species. Here, we review the available literature about radio telemetry applied to beetles, focusing on current methodological advantages and constraints to record their movement, as well as how this method can assist in understanding various ecological aspects of beetle life history. Regardless of the huge potential of radio-tracking, the number of tracked beetle species is still very low, covering so far only 13 species belonging to five families that were studied almost exclusively in the Western Palearctic region. Most studies were descriptive, measuring simple trajectory parameters and examining movement behavior as a single strategy that is not triggered by any particular internal or external cues. Ecological aspects have been accessed to a lesser extent, especially in relation to the effects of abiotic factors and habitat use. There are still conceptual knowledge gaps: promising statistical approaches for movement analyses can connect movement patterns with specific habitat utilization but they are not yet used by entomologists. Moreover, knowing the movement patterns of many individuals and species can assist us to understand the composition and dynamics at the community level.