iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Phil Lester

Anthony Ricciardi @ecoinvasions.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Classic example of invasional meltdown. The ants have a mutualism with introduced scale insects. Ant attacks have severely reduced native land crabs, thus altering the forest understory & lowering resistance to invasion by giant African land snails. #bioinvasions scienceofficial.org/nature/yello...

scienceofficial.org

Yellow Crazy Ants Defeat Red Crabs with Chemical Attack on Christmas Island

BBC footage shows yellow crazy ants using formic acid to overpower red crabs, highlighting an invasive species crisis that has devastated Christmas Island's ecosystem for decades.

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Reposted by Phil Lester

Anthony Ricciardi @ecoinvasions.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Worth posting again. Quote: "Some have argued the impact of introduced species has been overstated, and that introduced species should be seen as a legitimate part of Australia’s ecosystems. Scientific evidence and conservation outcomes do not support this." theconversation.com/yes-feral-ca...

theconversation.com

Yes, feral cats and foxes really have driven many Australian mammals to extinction

Decades of evidence link foxes and feral cats with extinctions of Australian mammals. Claims these introduced predators aren’t responsible don’t stack up.

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Phil Lester @pjlester.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

🐝🍯 Our new paper shows Varroa populations grew exponentially through spring, and spring infestation rates predicted honey yield losses. Each additional mite per 100 bees reduced honey yield by ~2.3 kg. Keeping mite levels low early matters. #HoneyBees #Varroa #Apiculture doi.org/10.1093/jee/...

doi.org

Spring Varroa destructor (Mesostigmata: Varroidae) density predicts honey production losses and indicates an action threshold in New Zealand apiaries

Abstract. Infestations of Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman can influence many aspects of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colony performance. Treatment

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Reposted by Phil Lester

Jeff Shima @drjeffshima.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

Dream job alert: Terrestrial vertebrate biologist/ecologist (tenure-track) in New Zealand! Join us @ Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington. Lecturer ≈ US Assistant Prof. NZ lifestyle, weird animals, & great colleagues Apply here: tinyurl.com/mubu7np8

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Phil Lester @pjlester.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

A new approach to control the Varroa parasite in honey bee colonies. Gene silencing has strong potential as a safe, highly targeted method for controlling a wide range of pests. www.farmersweekly.co.nz/news/biopest...

farmersweekly.co.nz

Biopesticide opens new front against varroa

NZ and US scientists develop gene-silencing tech to render mite temporarily sterile.

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Reposted by Phil Lester

British Beekeepers Association @bbka.org.uk · 10/06/2026

A new biopesticide to manage the bee-killing varroa mite has been developed. Researchers say it could help battle growing resistance to varroa treatments in Australia. www.abc.net.au/news/2026-06...

abc.net.au

Beekeepers call for access to new biopesticide to target varroa mite

A new biopesticide could help battle growing resistance to varroa mite treatments in Australia.

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Phil Lester @pjlester.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

What would an ideal pest control method look like? Highly selective. Minimal non target effects. Safe to handle. Double stranded RNA fits that description well. Our review on dsRNA control of Varroa in honey bee hives shows how effective this approach can be. www.frontiersin.org/journals/ins...

frontiersin.org

Frontiers | Norroa™ as a dsRNA biopesticide for Varroa destructor: insights from New Zealand research on mode of action, field efficacy, non−target effects, and social acceptance

RNA interference (RNAi) is emerging as a highly selective approach for pest management, offering species-specific control with limited non-target impacts. In...

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Phil Lester @pjlester.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

Portuguese millipedes driving people mad in Wellington? Not the first time in NZ. Similar outbreaks were reported in the 1940s. And then they disappeared. Are we seeing a classic boom–bust cycle, driven by parasites or pathogens? We’ll be on the hunt this spring. www.rnz.co.nz/news/science...

rnz.co.nz

Historic millipede outbreak sparks fresh research

The millipede infestations which have alarmed residents on Wellington's south coast may have blighted New Zealand in the '40s.

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Reposted by Phil Lester

British Beekeepers Association @bbka.org.uk · 06/06/2026

A new report has predicted a shortfall of close to 300,000 beehives for this year's peak crop pollination season in August, as the deadly parasite varroa mite wipes out bees. www.abc.net.au/news/2026-06...

abc.net.au

'Not enough' bees for crop pollination as parasite takes over

A new report warns of a massive pollination shortfall in Australia this year as varroa mite wipes out hives and forces beekeepers out.

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Reposted by Phil Lester

Entomological Society of America @entsocamerica.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

Invasive scale insects cost U.S. agriculture at least $4–8 billion each year, yet true losses remain poorly tracked. For scale insects and beyond, an accounting of these losses is a major blind spot that complicates pest control, policy decisions, and efforts to protect food production.

entomologytoday.org

The Great Unknown: How Much Do Invasive Insects Cost Agriculture and Society?

Invasive scale insects cost U.S. agriculture at least $4–8 billion each year, yet true losses remain poorly tracked, complicating pest control, policy decisions, and efforts to protect food…

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Phil Lester @pjlester.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

We’ve just had a manuscript go through the review process at the Journal of Economic Entomology. In a world with a million manuscript submissions and review requests, the referees really engaged and made thoughtful comments. Very efficient editorial work. Kudos. @entsocamerica.bsky.social

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Reposted by Phil Lester

British Beekeepers Association @bbka.org.uk · 23/05/2026

The Canary Islands Government has confirmed the first-ever detection of the Asian hornet in the archipelago after a nest containing 93 specimens was discovered in Gran Canaria. www.canarianweekly.com/posts/Asian-...

canarianweekly.com

Asian Hornet nest found in Canary Islands for the first time

Public advised to avoid them as their sting is larger and more painful than common wasps due to the amount of venom they can inject…

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Reposted by Phil Lester

British Beekeepers Association @bbka.org.uk · 20/05/2026

World Bee Day is celebrated on 20th May each year, marking the birthday of Anton Janša, a pioneer of modern beekeeping. The event is designated by the United Nations to raise global awareness of the importance of bees and all pollinators. www.bbka.org.uk/news/world-b...

bbka.org.uk

World Bee Day

Celebrated each year on 20th May.

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Reposted by Phil Lester

Entomological Society of America @entsocamerica.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

Having recently spread from Asia to eastern Europe, Tropilaelaps mites could threaten honey bees worldwide, but decades of hard-won lessons from managing Varroa mites may help scientists and beekeepers detect, track, and control the emerging pests before they spread farther. #WorldBeeDay

entomologytoday.org

As Tropilaelaps Mites Move West, Researchers Lean on Lessons Learned From Varroa

Decades of hard-won lessons from managing Varroa mites may help scientists and beekeepers detect, track, and control the Tropilaelaps mercedesae mite before its spreads and losses escalate.

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Reposted by Phil Lester

Troy Baisden @troybaisden.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

Concerned about the mishmash of bad news hitting research? So are we at New Zealand Association of Scientists (NZAS). Read the press release – scientists.org.nz/news/13632857 1/4

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Reposted by Phil Lester

British Beekeepers Association @bbka.org.uk · 18/05/2026

This study provides critical evidence to strengthen current honey bee biosecurity surveillance protocols and underscores the need for adoption of the most sensitive, standardized, cost-effective Tropilaelaps detection methods. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

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Reposted by Phil Lester

Malcolm RF 💚🇳🇿 @p-no-nwa.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

I was just saying that we had this under control, thanks for showing me up Varroa.

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Reposted by Phil Lester

New Scientist @newscientist.com · 14/05/2026

Can honey help with a cold? Or prevent hay fever? Is it any healthier than refined sugar? Columnist Alice Klein digs into the evidence for honey’s health benefits

newscientist.com

Honey has been used as medicine for centuries – does it really work?

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Phil Lester @pjlester.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

Lab trials show a commercially available parasitic nematode that kills many insects does not kill Portuguese millipedes, despite hopes in Wellington. Millipedes in NZ have shown boom‑bust dynamics before (e.g. Tauranga 1950s), and our research continues to understand what drives these collapses.

rnz.co.nz

Hopes dashed after parasitic worm found to be ineffective at killing invasive millipedes

Wellington residents sounded the alarm about Portuguese millipede infestations last year, after finding hundreds of the scaly black creatures around their homes.

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Reposted by Phil Lester

Jeff Shima @drjeffshima.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

Come join us at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand! We are hiring a tenure-track marine biologist/ecologist (Lecturer/Senior Lecturer = US Assistant Professor). NZ lifestyle, a beautiful marine lab, and great colleagues! tinyurl.com/ymmdsjus Please share widely!

School of Biological Sciences building, Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand)

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Phil Lester @pjlester.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

Giant hornets have been sighted in Europe for the first time. The southern giant hornet (Vespa soror) appears to have established in Spain. Now is a great time to take action. www.sciencenews.org/article/gian...

sciencenews.org

Giant hornets have been sighted in Europe for the first time

Four southern giant hornets have turned up in Spain. Similar stingers, known for honeybee attacks, had the Pacific Northwest on edge a few years ago.

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Reposted by Phil Lester

Environment Network Manawatū @enviromanawatu.bsky.social · 01/12/2024

New Zealand Bug of the Year Voting Starts 1 Jan 2025 We're home to thousands of fascinating insects, spiders, slugs, snails, centipedes, springtails & other “bugs”. These bugs make up over half of our animal diversity & many of them are found nowhere else on the planet! bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz

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