Measurement of electrostatic charge carried by flying agricultural insect pests

Electrostatic charge carried by agricultural insect pests was quantified using a custom developed charge measurement system. Adult melon fruit fly ( Bactrocera cucurbitae ), coconut whitefly ( Aleurodicus cocois ), cowpea aphid ( Aphis craccivora ), and whitefly ( Bemisia tabaci ) were evaluated under laboratory conditions. Electrostatic charge was estimated from current–time profiles using trapezoidal integration. All insects carried measurable positive charge, with melon fruit fly showing the highest average charge (74.43 ± 0.50 pC), followed by cowpea aphid, coconut whitefly, and whitefly. Larger insects accumulated greater charge than smaller insects. The system showed good repeatability and supporting applications in electrostatic pest management and spray technologies.