Manitoba Rural Adaptation Council

Project Description

The Entomological Society of Manitoba and Canada joint meeting is the premiere opportunity to invite researchers from across Canada and all over the world to Manitoba to present their research in the field of Entomology. The meeting's plenary symposium titled: Climate change: from Geology to Ecology, will feature internationally recognized speakers on aspects of climate change. In addition to the emerging issue of climate changes, this year's national entomology meeting will also include a symposium on a very important emerging issue in apiculture; the field of bee virus research is quickly becoming the hottest field of research associated with the collapsing of honey bee populations around the world. The presentations will be delivered in a manner that is not only understandable to scientists but also the layperson. The presentations will also showcase the applied side of the science; such as monitoring, prevention and remedial action.

Project Objectives

To showcase cutting edge research in the emerging field of climate change effects on insect pest distribution and bee virology.

General Information

Observations and Conclusions

Event attendees from across Canada and beyond heard about research in the field of entomology focusing on pressures created by climate change and a very important emerging issue in apiculture: collapsing of honey bee populations around the world.

This event was to bring scientists and beekeepers together to enable them to work together towards practical solutions to the new and emerging issues facing an apiary industry and strived to enable this collaboration offering reduced registration fees.

Stemming from this event, the University of Manitoba Department of Entomology is working with several of the speakers to exchange research information and in one case; the U of M is working with Beeologics to investigate the possibility of developing commercially available treatments for deformed-wind virus using RNA interference techniques.

Overall, attendees rated the event as good to excellent with this event laying the pathway for future opportunities to put scientific data into the hands of producers.