Primum non nocere: Technologically advanced non-invasive pheromone traps for sustainable monitoring of the European threatened hermit beetles Osmoderma barnabita / eremita (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

A smart pheromone trap designed for the monitoring of Osmoderma barnabita / er-emita has been successfully developed and testedin situ. The trap's design and operational principles allowa photo-recording of the capture moment and logging parame-ters of air temperature and humidity at the moment of capture. These dataare then seamlessly transmitted to a server via mobile network. The adaptability of environmental parameter recording allows customization to suit specific requirements of a given study. Rigorous testing of these traps within three Natura 2000 sites in Latvia in 2003has substantiated their robust performance and efficiency. Notably, the traps exhibit versatility and can be modified and tailored for monitoring various insect species, utilizing both pheromones and lures as attractants. This innovation holds promise for advancing ecological research and monitoring endeavours pertaining to diverse insect populations.