Autumn conkers to be rescued by smart phone app

Research teams and the Universities of Bristol and Hull have devised a mobile phone app allowing people to upload photos of horse chestnut leaves, with or without the indication of alien moths, pinpointing their location and helping to build up a nationwide picture of the widespread problem. The presence of these moths is threatening the future of one of the UK’s best-loved trees.

The moths arrived in London in 2002 and today cover half the country. Their caterpillars eat the horse chestnut tree leaves from the inside. Now the research teams are calling for ordinary people to join the lab experiment, as Dr Darren Evans from the University of Hull said: ‘This is an exciting opportunity to take part in a real scientific experiment on a national scale. It’s a big mission for which we’re reliant on the public’s help.’

David Flanders JISC’s programme manager for the project says: ‘Science is for everyone and now anyone carrying around a smart phone can take part. The power of involving citizen scientists by utilising new technologies is only going to get more exciting in coming years as every one of us will be carrying around scientific tools in our pockets, which means we can help scientists and have fun doing it.’

This is the largest study of its kind and could revolutionise how science research is conducted in the future. The records gathered from the (currently) over 8000 volunteers involved so far will be passed to Forest Research to add to its ever growing database.

Get in the lab – download the app from this website.

Published: Monday, 19th September 2011 by Ellen Haggan