Okanagan Branch Lunch and Learn

Dates: February 08, March 08, 2023, 12:00–1:00 PM via Zoom

Cost: Free; pre-registration is required (BCIA Registrants)

Zoom Coordinates for this series:

https://ca01web.zoom.us/j/69640108245?pwd=MlowYWxQYXBDbUlwY0VpZ2FObEgrdz09

Join Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), the Ministry of Agriculture and Food (AF) and the Ministry of Land Water and Resource Stewardship (LWRS), and BCIA in a series of professional talks. These sessions are held virtually on the second Wednesday of each month, 12–1 PM.

The challenge of accidentally introduced insect natural enemies for the practice of biological control

Date:  March 08, 2023

Time: 12:00–1:00 PM

Location: Virtual - Preregistration required for BCIA Registrants

Biological control has long been an option for sustainable management of invasive insect crop pests, taking years of careful research to determine which candidate natural enemies of the pest may be most appropriate to import and release in invaded areas. However, in several recent cases, natural enemies of invasive pests have been spontaneously established in new areas of the world without their intentional release having taken place. I’ll discuss this issue using two horticultural pests of BC crops – the brown marmorated stink bug and spotted wing Drosophila – as case studies.

Bio:

Dr. Paul Abram is a Research Scientist at the Agassiz Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. His research program is focused on understanding the ecology of invasive pests and their natural enemies to support the development of effective and environmentally responsible biological control programs.