Ento '18 - Conference of the Royal Entomological Society by Edge Hill University

Welcome by Professor Chris Thomas FRS On behalf of the convenors, trustees and officers of the Royal Entomological Society, I welcome you to Ento’18 here at the attractive Ormskirk campus of Edge Hill University. This is the first time the Society has held its annual meeting at Edge Hill, and it is a great pleasure for us to be in Lancashire for three days of fascinating entomological presentations and workshops. The Royal Entomological Society is devoted to the promotion and development of insect science, and the annual Ento meetings are an important opportunity to share and celebrate entomological research from around the world. I hope everyone will use Ento’18 to catch up with friends and colleagues, and to establish new collaborations. I look forward to talking to as many of you as possible and wish you a productive and enjoyable conference.

A note from the Convenors Welcome to Edge Hill University and to ENTO 18 - the good, the bad and the ugly, exploring the importance of lesser studied insects. We have a fascinating programme of talks and posters, with presenters from universities, NGOs and SMEs. We particularly welcome our international presenters, who have travelled from afar to share their entomological knowledge with us. We are pleased to welcome four plenary speakers, each addressing a different aspect of the conference theme. The Good – where Stefan Scheu (University of Göttingen) will explore the importance of insects (and other invertebrates) to ecosystem functioning. The Bad – where we are lucky to have two plenary speakers on the vast topic of insect vectors: Richard Wall (University of Bristol) and Lin Field (Rothamsted Research). The Ugly - where Jason Dombroskie (Cornell University) will explore the challenges and difficulties of studying and conducting research on less charismatic species. There are many people we would like to thank for making this conference possible. Kirsty Whiteford, Luke Tilley and the staff at the Royal Entomological Society who have done excellent work behind the scenes. At Edge Hill University, Mary Dean, Claire Lane, Vicky Gentile, Ashley Lyons and the conferences team. Finally, we thank our session chairs and presenters, as well as our student helpers, who do great work to keep everything running smoothly. We wish you an enjoyable conference, Anne Oxbrough and Clare Strode pg. 1

Contents Section

Page

Key Information

Exhibitors

Students Prizes

Other Meetings Supported by the Royal Entomological Society

Royal Entomological Society Journals

Conference Programme

Poster Presentations

Plenary Speakers Abstracts and Biographies

Oral Presentation Abstracts: Wednesday

Oral Presentation Abstracts: Thursday

Oral Presentation Abstracts: Friday

Poster Abstracts

Edge Hill University Postgraduate Programmes

Campus Map

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Key Information Getting around campus Campus locations for conference (see inside back cover for map): • Faculty of Health and Social Care (FOHSC) (Map reference 4, square C5, entrance by lake): registration desk/enquiries, refreshments, lunch, exhibitors, posters, President’s wine reception (all in Foyer); plenaries (Lecture Theatre 2); presentations (Lecture Theatres 2 & 3, refer to programme) • The Hub (2, F4): breakfast (for delegates staying on campus). Food available for purchase, shop, free cash machine • Sages dining in The Hub (2, F4): Conference dinner • Hale Hall, adjacent to Sages: pre-dinner drinks for conference dinner, céilí and bar • Red Bar in Arts Centre (5, E6): Dinner on Tuesday evening, barbeque, Red Bar socials • Chancellor’s Court (D, H3 – J3) accommodation • Free car park (large grey area, I5 – J5 etc), entrance off A570 St Helens Road (K7). Please follow the purple flags from the main car park to the conference venue in FOHSC building (4, C5). There is other free car parking closer to the venue, please ask at the Security Lodge and park as directed. Arrival Delegates who have reserved accommodation should use the visitors entrance (F7) and call at the Security Lodge (17, F6) to collect room keys and welcome pack. You will be advised where to park (free). For those arriving for the day by car, use the student/staff entrance off A570 St Helens Road (K7) to main free car park. Please follow the purple flags from the main car park (H5) to the conference venue in FOHSC building (4, C5). Accommodation Delegates who have reserved accommodation will be staying in Chancellor’s Court (D, H3 – J3). Keys should be collected from the Security Lodge, open 24/7 (17, F6). Your Welcome pack will provide information on your stay. Please note that a nonrefundable charge of £50 will be made to the individual per missing key and £10 per missing access card prior to departure. Conference Registration The conference registration desk is in the FOHSC foyer (4, C5). Loading your presentation Presentations should be loaded onto the computer in the lecture theatre in which you are presenting prior to the start of your session (Tuesday afternoon, 8:30 – 9:00 or pg. 3

during coffee/tea/lunch breaks, immediately after a session). Please bring your presentation on USB, or save it to an accessible cloud storage system (e.g. Dropbox). It will not be possible to use your own laptop. If your presentation includes videos/animations, please upload and check your presentation well in advance of the session in which you are speaking. Please also save your surname in the presentation file header. Offered presentations have a 15 minute slot with 12 minutes speaking plus 3 minutes for questions. The session chair will give a 10 minute time alert. Please keep to time as there are parallel sessions and we want to keep them in sync (WEDNESDAY ONLY). Posters Posters (in A1 portrait format) should be displayed on the numbered poster boards for the duration of the meeting. The number of your poster can be found in this booklet. Posters will be located in the FOHSC foyer. Presenters should be available by their posters during the poster session (17:45 – 19:00 on Wednesday 29th August). Internet Access Eduroam network access is available for those from participating institutions. Visitors to Edge Hill can make use of the ‘Wifi Guest’ wireless network. This service (AKA ‘The Cloud’) is provided by Sky and is in use all across the UK. This means that if you have a Cloud account (you may have previously registered in McDonalds, Marriott Hotels, SubWay etc) your device should automatically detect and connect to the ‘Wifi Guest’ wireless network at Edge Hill University. If you need to register, there are two ways to do it: Online: https://service.thecloud.net/service-platform/login/registration/ Or On Campus: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Connect your mobile device to the 'Wifi Guest' wireless network Open your web browser and navigate to any website You will be redirected to the Cloud registration page Complete your registration to establish an internet connection

Social media We welcome social media participation at Ento’18. Please use hashtag #ento18 and connect with the Society on twitter @RoyEntSoc and on Facebook at facebook.com/Royentsoc as well as @BiologyEHU, the hosting department. Please, however, respect presenters’ wishes if they request that their work not be shared online (as indicated by the below symbol).

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Using photographic images We may take group photographs during the conference. Verbal permission will be sought prior to this, giving individuals the opportunity to move away if not wishing to be included. These may be used in the future for promotional purposes and on social media. If you do not wish to be in a photograph, please alert the photographer at any time. Travel and how to find us Edge Hill University campus is located in Ormskirk, West Lancashire, L39 4QP, UK https://www.edgehill.ac.uk/location has links to travelling here. By rail, Ormskirk is the closest station to Edge Hill University and can be reached from either Liverpool or Preston. Rail journey planner: http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/planjourney/search Please note that the Edge Link bus service will not be running during the conference. From Ormskirk station, there are 24-hour taxi services opposite the station entrance, or information for walking to campus, around 20 minutes, is on the website. Medical and Emergencies There are a number of qualified First Aiders at Edge Hill University and should you require First Aid during office hours you should contact Reception in the FOHSC. For out of hours emergencies please contact the Campus Support team, based with Security, by dialling 4227 from an internal phone or 01695 584227 from a mobile or landline. In the event of a fire or other emergency a siren will sound. You must leave the building immediately by the nearest available exit, following the green and white FIRE EXIT pictograms, or as instructed by Edge Hill fire marshals, and assemble at the Assembly point. There is a regular fire test in the FoHSC building on Thursday lasting several seconds. Catering Coffee/tea refreshments and lunch will be served in the foyer of the FOHSC building (4, C5). Breakfast (for delegates with accommodation) will be in The Hub (2, F4) and you will have a catering card to use. Dinner on Tuesday 28th, barbeque and Red Bar socials will be in the Red Bar in the Arts Centre (5, E6). The conference dinner will be in â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Sagesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; within The Hub, with pre-dinner drinks and ceilidh and bar in adjacent Hale Hall (2, F4). Please wear your conference identification to claim your refreshments and meals. pg. 5

In addition, if you wish to purchase other food, the opening times for catering outlets are shown on your welcome letter (delegates with accommodation) and available from the Registration desk. The Red bar (5, E6) will be open on Tuesday evening 18:00 – 22:30 and Wednesday evening from 19:00 – 22:30. Water fountain There are water fountains on each floor of the FOHSC building. If it is convenient for you, please bring a reusable drink container. Otherwise, disposable cups are available. Money There is a free cash machine in the Hub (2, F4), situated behind the shop. President’s Wine Reception and poster evening All delegates are invited to attend the President’s Welcome Wine Reception on Wednesday 29th August in the FOHSC foyer. There is no charge. Wine, soft drinks and nibbles available from 17:45 – 19:00. Conference Dinner and Céilí The Conference Dinner (only for those who have booked only) on Thursday 30th August 2018 will be preceded by a drinks reception at 19:00 in Hale Hall, adjacent to Sages in the Hub. Guests to be seated by 19:30 in Sages Dining Room. Céilí music will be provided after dinner by ‘Scatter the Mud’ who are an Irish Band from northwest England. Campus wildlife records Delegates may wish to add to the invertebrate and other wildlife records for the campus. Please add any wildlife records to the board near the registration desk or to the recording sheet. Please provide your name as the determiner (in case of queries). For less well known taxa, a photo would be useful. We will be collating records and submitting them to the Local Records Centre. There is a pleasant walk to the south end of the campus, past the sports fields and through some meadows, good for ento spotting! Edge Hill University Edge Hill University is based on an attractive, award-winning 160-acre campus in Lancashire, close to Liverpool and Manchester. The institution has been providing higher education since 1885 when Edge Hill College opened in Liverpool as the first non-denominational teacher training college for women. The college moved to pg. 6

Ormskirk in 1933. From its origins as a specialist institution with 41 female trainee teachers, Edge Hill now has almost 10,000 full-time students, another 3,000 parttime students on a wide range of undergraduate programmes, and almost 5,000 fulland part-time postgraduate students. Use of sports facilities Visitors staying on campus may use most of the facilities in Edge Hill Sports Centre (26, K4). You can take part in a fitness class for £5.10 per session, a relaxing swim is just £5 or you can work out in the gym for £7.15 (subject to attending a free induction which should be booked in advance). Take a look at the website www.edgehill.ac.uk/edgehillsport or phone 01695 584745 for more details. Nearby amenities and attractions Ormskirk is a historic market town (market days Thursday and Saturday and has a variety of shops in the town centre. Local nature reserves and wildlife sites include: Sefton coast www.sefton.gov.uk/around-sefton/coast-countryside Martin Mere www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/martin-mere Lancashire Wildlife Trust reserves www.lancswt.org.uk/visit Popular tourist destinations include Liverpool www.visitliverpool.com/plan-your-visit Manchester www.visitmanchester.com and Chester www.visitcheshire.com National Trust has several local properties or countryside reserves www.nationaltrust.org.uk/days-out/regionnorthwest/north-west

Exhibitors The following organisations will have stands at ENTO’18. Stands are in the FOHSC foyer: Brambleby books www.bramblebybooks.co.uk/ CABI (Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International) www.cabi.org Cambridge University Press www.cambridge.org/ Echo Ltd (Thursday only) https://discover-echo.com/ GT Vision www.gt-vision.com/ RES (Royal Entomological Society) www.royensoc.co.uk University of Bristol, CONNECTED Network www.bristol.ac.uk/biology Wiley www.wiley.com

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Student prizes Student prizes will be awarded separately for poster and oral presentations. Both will be awarded based on voting by all delegates adjudicated by a small panel of Society Fellows. Voting sheets will be available from the reception desk. Prize winners will be announced during the closing session on Friday 31st.

Other meetings supported by the Royal Entomological Society Sep 14 2018

Insect Genomics Special Interest Group Venue: University of Leicester Convenors: Hollie Marshall & Katherine Beadle

Oct 23 2018

Insect Data Special Interest Group Venue: University of Hull Convenor: James Gilbert

Nov 7 2018

Orthoptera Special Interest Group Venue: Neil Chalmers Room, Natural History Museum, London Convenor: BjĂśrn Beckmann

Nov 29 2018

Public Understanding of Entomology Special Interest Group Venue Bute Room, National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh Convenor: Ashleigh Whiffin

Dec 14 2018

Climate Change Special Interest Group Venue: University of Birmingham Convenors: Scott Hayward

Aug 20-22 2019

Entoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;19 International Symposium and Annual National Science Meeting 'Vectors of diseases' Venue: London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT Convenor: Mary Cameron

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Journals of the Royal Entomological Society The Royal Entomological Society publishes seven peer-reviewed Journals in conjunction with Wiley. These are part of our Society’s commitment to the “improvement and diffusion of entomological science”. In addition, any surplus generated by the Journals is used to support other activities of the Society, such as providing services to our Members and Fellows, including the library, National and Special Interest Group meetings, the outreach fund and student travel awards. In addition, National Insect Week and the Insect Festivals in York which help fulfil our commitment to deliver entomology to a lay audience. The seven Journals cover a wide range of entomological research, providing entomologists with diverse specialities, with a suitable outlet to publish their work. The Journals are: • • • • • • •

Agricultural and Forest Entomology Ecological Entomology Insect Conservation and Diversity Insect Molecular Biology Medical and Veterinary Entomology Physiological Entomology Systematic Entomology

All receive a good copy flow of papers for consideration for publication by the Editors and Editorial Boards and the RES is rightly proud of the success and respect earned by the Journals. Prof Linda M Field BA, PhD, FRES, FRSB Editorial Officer Royal Entomological Society

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Conference Programme (Underlined speakers are student presenters)

Tuesday 28th August 15:30-17:00 18:00 18.00-22:30

Registration

FOHSC Foyer

Dinner

Red Bar

Red Bar Social

Wednesday 29th August 08:30-09:45

Registration Tea / coffee

FOHSC Foyer

09:45-10.00

Welcome

Lecture Theatre 3

Plenary - 'The Good'; Chair: Anne Oxbrough, Edge Hill University 10.00-11.00

Stefan Scheu

University of Gรถttingen

Belowground goodies: Ecology and evolution of soil microarthropods

11:00-11:30

Refreshment break FOHSC Foyer

11:30-13:00

Insect Diversity and Conservation 1 (parallel session); Chair: Simon

11:30-13:00

Leather, Harper Adams University Hafed Khalil

University of York

Michelle Davis

Edge Hill University

Hugh Loxdale

Cardiff University

John Simaika

IHE Delft

Matthew Esh

Edge Hill University

Felicity Crotty

Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust

Lecture Theatre 2 Automated classification of insect pollinator species using bio-acoustics and machine learn Applying genetic information to questions regarding population structures in Euphydryas aurinia, the Marsh Fritillary butterfly Aspects, including pitfalls, of temporal sampling of flying insects, with special reference to aphids Incongruent relationships: Flowering plants are not good surrogates for insect pollinators Habitat Association and Phenology of Carrion Beetles (Coleoptera: Silphidae, Leiodidae) The effect of agricultural management on soil entomology and soil health

Ecological Entomology (parallel session); Chair: Alan Gunn, Liverpool John Moores University

Lecture Theatre 3 (LT3)

Gino Brignoli

Queen Mary London

Nancy Dawam

Keele University

Genetics and ecology of variation in social organisation in the yellow meadow ant, Lasius flavus Morphometric and morphological studies of Anopheles coluzzii and Anopheles gambiae eggs pg. 10

13:00-14:15

Nick Howe

University of Birmingham

Yannick Pauchet

Max Planck

Dara Stanley

NUI Galway

Alan Gunn

Liverpool John Moores University

Lunch

FOHSC Foyer

Manipulations of diapause in a solitary bee Osmia bicornis: challenges and opportunities Evolution of xylophagy in longhorned beetles: Diversity and evolutionary history of plant cell wall degrading enzymes in the Cerambycidae Investigating sublethal pesticide effects on bumblebee behaviour and pollination services The colonisation of fresh remains by the dermestid beetle Dermestes maculatus

Wallace Prize Winner, Chair: Chris Thomas, University of York Lecture Theatre 3

14:15-15:15

15:15-16:15

Callum Macgregor

Insects and Society – 1; , Chair: Luke Tilley, Royal Entomological Society Pete Smithers [30mins]

16:15-16:45 16:45-17:45

University of York

Wildfire alters the structure and seasonal dynamics of Mediterranean nocturnal pollen transport networks

Lecture Theatre 3 Royal The miniature muse. Insects in art and Entomological culture Society

Heather Campbell

Harper Adams

The Baboon Spider Atlas – using citizen science and the ‘fear factor’ to map baboon spider distributions and diversity in Africa

Heather Gibbard

GreenBee Entomology and The Woven Network

Insects; the good, the bad and the tasty!

Refreshment break

FOHSC Foyer

Insect Physiology; Chair: Barbara Tigar, University of Central Lancashire Lecture Theatre 3 Cindy Aubernon

Lille University

The good: they are tool in forensics, the bad: their behavior is complex, the ugly: they are necrophagous maggots.

Rebecca Corkill

John Innes Centre

Early embryonic development in Bemisia tabaci

Molly Rogers

University of Bristol

Aerial electroreception in arthropods: what we know so far and why it’s relevant

Abu Muhammad Raza

University of Sargodha, Pakistan

Reproductive performance, size and fitness consequences of Bracon hebetor Say rearing on two different hosts: Ephestia kuehniella (Zeller) and Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton)

17:45-19:00

Posters and wine reception; FOHSC Foyer

19:00-22:30

Red Bar social and dinner; BBQ from 19:30

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(Underlined speakers are student presenters)

Thursday 30th August 08:30-09:00

Registration

FOHSC Foyer

Plenary - The 'Bad'; Chair: Clare Strode, Edge Hill University Lecture Theatre 09:00-10:00

Richard Wall 10:00-11:00

University of Bristol

Changing threats from ticks and tick-borne disease

Medical and Veterinary Entomology 1; Chair Mary Cameron, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Simon Carpenter [30mins]

Pirbright Institute

Linta Grigoraki

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

Nkiru Ekechukwu

University of Nigeria Nsukka

Lecture Theatre 3 Invited speaker: Culicoides and the emergence of arboviruses in Europe: the issues of creating and retaining expertise on neglected vectors Characterization of the cuticular hydrocarbon biosynthetic pathway in the malaria vector An. gambiae Insecticidal potential of Aframomum melegueta and Dennettia tripetala for the control of Callosobruchus maculatus

11:00-11:30

Refreshment break FOHSC Foyer

11:30-13:00

Medical and Veterinary Entomology 2; Chair Mary Cameron, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Victoria Ingham

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

Christopher Sanders

The Pirbright Institute

Clare Strode

Edge Hill University

Poppy Stevens

University of Salford

Seynabou Sougoufara

IHU (Institut hospitaloUniversitaire) MĂŠditerranĂŠen Infection, Marseille

13:00-14:15

Lunch

FOHSC Foyer

13:45-14:15

Workshop: A Guide to Publishing

Lecture Theatre 3 Chemosensation: a new insecticide resistance mechanism in Anopheles gambiae sl Shift in seasonal activity of insect vectors driven by site-specific climate change Mapping insecticide resistance in the dengue vector Aedes aegypti in Colombia Characterisation of sandfly (Phlebotomus argentipes) microbiota across Bihar district, India The impact of periodic distribution campaigns of long-lasting insecticidaltreated bed nets on malaria vector dynamics and human exposure in Dielmo, Senegal Kimberley Thresher, Wiley Journals Lecture Theatre 3

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Thursday 30th August Plenary - The 'Bad'; Chair: Clare Strode, Edge Hill University 14:15-15:15

Lecture

Theatre 3

Rothamsted Aphids as vectors of crop Research diseases Agriculture and Forest Entomology 1; Chair: David Williams, Forest Lin Field

15:15-16:00

Research Lecture Theatre 3

16:00-16:30

Katrina Dainton

Forest Research Institute

Predator v. Pest: 35years of Dendroctonus micans management”

Andrew Salisbury

Royal Horticultural Society

Stemming the tide: the Royal Horticultural Society’s approach to plant health

Archie Murchie

Agri-Food & Biosciences Institute, Northern Ireland

Understanding American foulbrood in Northern Ireland

Refreshment break FOHSC Foyer

Agriculture and Forest Entomology 2; Chair: David Williams, Forest 16:30-17:30

Research Lecture Theatre 3 Kirsty Godsman

Edge Hill University

Gunjan Srivastava

Forest Research Institute, Dehradun (Uttarakhand)

Liam Crowley

University of Birmingham

Dimitrios Avtzis

Forest Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter

Carabid taxonomic and functional diversity in UK plantation forests Bioassay of two entomopathogenic fungi on Dichomeris eridantis (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) larvae, an important insect pest of Indian rosewood (Dalbergia sissoo) Investigating short term effects of elevated Carbon dioxide on forest insects: One year of data from BIFoR FACE The giant pine scale Marchalina hellenica: a local friend that became a pest Down Under

17:30-19:00

Break

19:00-19:30

Pre-dinner drinks reception

Hale Hall in The Hub

19:30-23:00

Conference dinner Céilí and bar

Sages in The Hub Hale Hall

pg. 13

(Underlined speakers are student presenters)

Friday 31st August 08:30-09:00

Registration

FOHSC Foyer

Plenary - The 'Ugly'; Chair: Anne Oxbrough, Edge Hill University LT3 Yes that’s nice…but look at this! Challenges of generating Cornell University interest in and relevance to the non-charismatic microfauna

09:00-10:00

Jason Dombroskie

10:00-11:00

Insects and Society 2; Chair Pete Smithers, Plymouth University; LT3

11:00-11:30 11:30-12:45

Simon Leather

Harper Adams

The Good, The Bad and the Just Plain Wrong; Insects in Children’s Literature

Luke Tilley

Royal Entomological Society

What do people want to know about insects and entomology?

Alessandro Campanaro

Council for Agricultural Research and Economics

Recording insect species with citizen science in Italy: scientific outputs on saproxylic beetles

Jack Smith

University of York

Refreshment break

Automatic Bioacoustic Identification Apps for Citizen Science Based Insect Monitoring Projects

FOHSC Foyer

Insect Diversity and Conservation 2; Chair: Simon Leather, Harper Adams University

Lecture Theatre 3

Michael Kaspari

University of Oklahoma

Ashley Lyons

Edge Hill University

Peter Shaw

University of Roehampton

Roberto Padovani

University of York

20-year changes in abundance and richness of North American ant communities: a nonlinear response to temperature Epigeal spider assemblage responses to vegetation structure under contrasting grazing management in upland calcareous grasslands Edge effects and relic populations among Corticolous Collembola in Richmond park, Surrey Colonisation of novel environments in the anthropocene: insects on introduced plants

Closing Remarks

12:45-14:00

FOHSC Foyer Post-conference workshops: 1-4 in Biosciences (11, D3), 5 & 6 see below Lunch

1. Mosquito husbandry and identification, Dr Clare Strode, Edge Hill University 2. Collembola identification, Dr Peter Shaw, University of Roehampton

14:00-16:00

3. Spider identification and ecology, Dr Anne Oxbrough, Edge Hill University 4. SEM your insect, Mr Dave Goodson, Edge Hill University 5. Public Outreach, Dr Luke Tilley, Royal Entomological Society. Business School (9,E4) B101 6. Habitat mapping using drones, Dr Michelle Stanton, Lancaster University and Aislinn Currie-Jordan, LSTM. IT in Tech Hub (14, D2) THG01, outdoor tba

pg. 14

Wednesday 17:45 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 19:00

Poster Presentations (Underlined authors are student presenters) Poster Lead Number Author

Affiliation

Shelby Anderson

Edge Hill University

Dimitrios Avtzis

Forest Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter

Ed Baker

University of York

Brenden Beckett

Edge Hill University

Katherine Burns

National University of Ireland Galway

Emmeline Costnett

National University of Ireland Galway

Mike Edwards

Nkiru Ekechukwu

Edwards Ecological and Data Services ltd University of Nigeria Nsukka

Dion Garrett

Rothamsted Research

Amy Gill

Edge Hill University

Rod Hill

Edge Hill University

Stephen Jess

Agri-Food & Biosciences Institute, Belfast

Title The role of open and closed canopy space in supporting macro-moth-assemblages in plantation forests Estimating population density with pheromone traps versus Distance sampling: preliminary data for Thaumetopoea pityocampa in Thessaloniki (Greece) Automated Acoustic Observatories: Computerised monitoring of Orthoptera The Effect of Tree Species Diversity and Drought on Spider Assemblages The importance of wild & managed pollinators to Irish crops: Preliminary results Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the thief: nectar robbing behaviour by bumblebees on the naturalised Fuchsia in Ireland Taxonomic Descriptive Concept Stress-dependent reproductive investment in Anopheles gambiae s.l. Predicting the future: Migration patterns, first-flight and evolution of resistant biotypes of a trap-shy aphid pest The use of setae as a diagnostic tool in mosquito identification Wildlife Photography from a Macro perspective Pesticide use in Northern Ireland arable crops 1992-2016 and implications for future policy development

pg. 15

Poster Number

Lead Author

Affiliation

Kelly Jowett

Rothamsted Research

Jillian Mayberry

University of Aberdeen

Jasmine Morgan

Edge Hill University

Rashmi Nautiyal

Forest Research Institute, Dehradun (Uttarakhand)

Gowri Prakesh

Imperial College London

John Simaika

IHE Delft

David Skingsley

Staffordshire University

Jack Smith

University of York

Anna SobierajBetliĹ&#x201E;ska

Kazimierz Wielki University, Poland

Graham Stelfox

Edge Hill University

Barbara Tigar

University of Central Lancashire

Lucyna Twerd

Kazimierz Wielki University, Poland

Rebecca Whitla

Edge Hill University

Title Can subterranean pitfall traps improve the quantification of carabid ecosystem services? Ground-dwelling carabid beetle diversity in monoculture and mixed tree species stands at the Gisburn experimental trials, Lancashire, UK The role of cuticular modifications in conferring insecticide resistance in the Dengue vector mosquito Aedes aegypti Study of Diversity of Family Encyrtidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) in Forest Habitat of Doon Valley, Uttarakhand, India DNA-based identification of hornetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diet using its meconium Invasive alien Blackwattle (Acacia mearnsii) trees increase biomass and nutrient in mountain streams, but are not preferred by macroinvertebrate herbivores Actinic light trap use in early spring on a Scottish island Automatic Bioacoustic Identification Apps for Citizen Science Based Insect Monitoring Projects Refugia of agricultural landscape as environments for endangered and rare species of wild bees (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Apiformes) in Poland How is diversity of freshwater invertebrates in an urban pond affected by surrounding vegetation? Colonisation and succession of beetles on carrion and their relationship with decomposition Does the extractive industry contribute to the presence of thermophilic wild bee species? Phylogeographic Analysis of the Marsh Fritillary

pg. 16

Wednesday 10:00 – 11:00

Plenary Session 1: ‘The Good’ Belowground goodies: Ecology and evolution of soil microarthropods Stefan Scheu University of Göttingen, Germany Soil microarthropods such as springtails (Collembola) and oribatid mites (Oribatida) are among the most abundant arthropods existing and play a significant role in nutrient cycles, plant growth and belowground – aboveground linkages. They are among the oldest terrestrial invertebrates roaming the world for more than 400 mio years. The talk will introduce their early role in the formation of terrestrial food webs, their current role as drivers of belowground systems and their interrelationships with aboveground communities. Collembola form an important component of the rhizosphere of plants thereby affecting plant growth and plant performance in a multitude of typically beneficial ways. Further, Collembola serve as important prey for predators of both the below- and aboveground system thereby presumably fostering the control of herbivore pest species. Overall, Collembola and other soil microarthropods serve essential ecosystem functions including decomposition of organic matter, recycling of nutrients, plant growth, priming plants against insect herbivores and fostering plant protection against herbivores via strengthening their control by predators. The talk advocates for the appreciation of the fundamental importance of soil microarthropods for the structure and functioning of virtually any terrestrial ecosystem and proposes them as model organisms to investigate belowground – aboveground interrelationships. Biography Growing up in a small village of the Black Forest early on caught my interest in nature. Studying biology in Tübingen convinced me that I like to become a biologist with a focus on animal ecology. Being fascinated by animal life in the sea and exploring it by snorkelling and diving I realized that I definitely need to know more about life in my vicinity. This brought me continuing my studies in Göttingen and focusing there on terrestrial animal ecology. Contrasting the marine system with all the creatures being so nicely visible I ended up investigating soil animals. I was fascinated by the enormous local diversity and important role of these creatures. During one year as postdoc in Calgary I investigated the consequences of the invasion of European earthworm species into Canadian forests. Later when I was appointed as professor at Darmstadt University I broadened my interest to include soil microarthropods in particular oribatid mites and also started investigating evolutionary questions, in particular the evolution of sexuality. Being back in Göttingen as full professor of animal ecology since 2008 we investigate in an integrative way the structure, functioning and evolution of soil animal species and communities. pg. 17

Thursday 09:00 – 10:00

Plenary Session 2: ‘The Bad’ Changing threats from ticks and tick-borne disease Richard Wall University of Bristol, UK In recent decades, many arthropods and arthropod-transmitted infections have shown striking changes in distribution and prevalence in Europe and these are expected to change further as a result of factors linked to habitat modification, changes in land use and climate change. Furthermore, global trade and the greater movement of people and pets have increased the potential for the introduction and establishment of novel vector species not previously present in some areas, as well as novel pathogens. Many of these issues are particularly well highlighted by the changing patterns of the distribution, abundance and phenology of ticks. In northern latitudes, the most abundant tick species, Ixodes ricinus is typically active in spring and early summer, quiescent in mid-summer and usually has a secondary peak of activity in later summer or autumn. However, studies have shown that I. ricinus, is increasingly able to survive and quest throughout the winter where previously the winter temperatures would have been too cold to support tick activity, resulting in year-round risk for tick bites and associated pathogen transmission. There is also considerable evidence for the altitudinal and latitudinal expansion of its range and, in some areas, large long-term increases in abundance in regions where previously ticks had been rare. Associated with these changes, there has been an increase in recorded cases of tick-borne infections, such as Lyme borreliosis and TBE in parts of central Europe. However, it is often difficult to differentiate climate-mediated changes in vector distributions from underlying changes in host abundance; it can be equally difficult to disentangle range expansions and shifts due to changes in the distribution of suitable habitat from colonisation of habitat that was previously suitable for parasite persistence but remained free of disease for reasons such as isolation or national biosecurity. Hence, general predictions of the likely changes in the prevalence of ticks and tick-borne disease are complex and are modulated by many factors. Biography Richard Wall is Professor of Zoology at the University of Bristol; he leads a research group working on a range of arthropod parasites and vectors of veterinary importance, particularly ticks, flies, lice, mange mites and flies. His group’s research ranges widely from fundamental studies of taxonomy and physiology, through to field population ecology and farm- and veterinary practice-level investigations of the application of sustainable control technologies. pg. 18

Thursday 14:15 – 15:15

Plenary Session 3: ‘The Bad’ Aphids as vectors of crop diseases Lin Field Rothamsted Research Aphids are a very diverse family of insects, that have colonised a wide variety of hosts and geographic locations. Many of the hosts are crop plants and aphids have thus been widely subjected to control measures. The damage done by aphids can be direct feeding effects but is more often the result of the transmission of plant virus diseases. In my talk I will review the main species of aphids and the viruses they vector, discuss control measures that have been used, especially the use of chemical insecticides which have led to widespread development of resistance in many important aphid pests and present alternative control strategies. Biography Lin’s personal research is focused on understanding how insecticides work and how insects become resistant to them. Her Group uses the latest genomic techniques to understand resistance and insecticide selectivity and apply this to better use of pesticides through links with agronomists, farmers and the agro-chemical industry. She has played a role in developing Rothamsted’s policy on the effect of neonicotinoids on bees and has delivered this to a wide audience. As Head of the Biointeractions and Crop Protection Department she has gained a wide knowledge of alternative pest control strategies, especially the use of chemical ecology and GM approaches. The overall aim of Lin’s Department is to deliver sustainable crop protection strategies to support crop production, whilst minimising effects on biodiversity and the environment.

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Friday 09:00 – 10:00

Plenary Session 4: ‘The Ugly’ Yes that’s nice…but look at this! Challenges of generating interest in and relevance to the non-charismatic microfauna Jason Dombroskie Cornell University, USA Social networking, various phone apps, and better digital cameras have spurred a recent increase of interest in natural history by amateurs. While most of this interest is inspired by and focused on more charismatic organisms, there are a core group that are interested in even the most obscure groups. By fostering relationships with these amateurs it helps encourage discovery that can be mutually beneficial. Perhaps most importantly, the onus is on us to bring our research to the general public to inspire this generation and the next. Promoting interest in the more obscure microfauna is challenging, but there are numerous techniques that can facilitate this through social media, training workshops, natural history outings, and public talks. Biography Jason Dombroskie has had a lifelong interest in nature and started seriously collecting moths at the age of 12. Over ten years of collecting moths in his childhood backyard in rural Ontario, Canada, he collected over 1000 species of moths and began networking with the larger lepidopterist community. From 1996 to 2005 he worked as a naturalist in Algonquin Provincial Park where he delivered popular educational programs as well as document the moth diversity culminating in nearly 1000 confirmed species. He obtained a BSc. Hon. in Biological Sciences from the University of Guelph and his PhD was on aspects of archipine [Tortricidae] evolution at the University of Alberta. Since 2012 he has worked as the manager for the Cornell University Insect Collection in NY and the coordinator for the Insect Diagnostic Lab. Jason has published 15 scientific papers in entomology including a matrix-based key to the Lepidoptera of Canada. Current research in his lab focuses on systematics of the tribe Archipini (Tortricidae) in the New World, but some of his students work on other microlepidoptera. Jason regularly hosts public mothing events across NY and gives richly-illustrated, popular talks and workshops on moth natural history, basic entomology, beneficial insects, and other topics.

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Wednesday 11:30 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 13:00

Insect Diversity and Conservation 1 STUDENT PRESENTER Automated classification of insect pollinator species using bio-acoustics and machine learning Hafed Khalil, Chesmore D. University of York, UK Pollinator species classification is important in view of evaluating the quality of their living environment and protecting the biodiversity of these important species. Studies during the last decade have shown that pollinator species are declining worldwide due to land-use change and agricultural practices. Therefor in this project flight sound is used to classify different pollinator species. The project aims to develop a new technique which is statistical time domain signal coding (S-TDSC), the latter is inspired by time-domain signal coding for extracting the features from audio signals of different pollinator species such as bumblebees, hover flies, solitary bees and common wasps. These features are then passed to different classifiers which are support vector machine (SVM), extreme learning machine (ELM) and random forests in order to compare the identification accuracies achieved by each classification algorithm. As a result, when the recordings of hover flies were grouped together as class 1 and the recordings of common wasps, bumblebees and solitary bees were grouped together as class 2, binary classification was performed using the classification algorithms. Identification accuracies ranging from 83.5% to 90.48% were achieved when 50% of the audio files were used for and training and 50% were used for testing.

STUDENT PRESENTER Applying genetic information to questions regarding population structures in Euphydryas aurinia, the Marsh Fritillary butterfly Michelle Davis, Powell I., Porter K., and Ashton P. Edge Hill University, UK Population genetics is a powerful tool that can be applied to answer conservation questions. Population boundaries and genetic differentiation can offer guidance as to where and how limited conservation efforts can be applied for maximum benefit. Small and isolated populations are a special concern for conservation and often need additional management. Euphydryas aurinia, the Marsh Fritillary butterfly (Rottemburg, 1775), is a habitat specialist utilising Succisa pratensis (L.), Devilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s-bit Scabious, as its primary larval host plant in the UK. It underwent a sharp decline in both occurrence and abundance in the twentieth century and is now protected under pg. 21

the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) in Great Britain and the Northern Ireland Wildlife Order (1985). The Lizard peninsula in Cornwall is home to several populations of E. aurinia, four of these are currently managed as separate populations though the level of separation between them is currently unknown. This work examines these population using microsatellite markers to determine levels of isolation and/or geneflow. These results will inform the future conservation management of these populations.

Aspects, including pitfalls, of temporal sampling of flying insects, with special reference to aphids Hugh D. Loxdale Cardiff University, UK Since the advent and widespread use of high-resolution molecular markers in the late 1970s, it is now well-established that natural populations of insects are not necessarily homogeneous genetically, and show variations at different spatial scales due to a variety of reasons, including hybridisation/introgression events. In similar vein, it cannot be assumed that populations of insects are necessarily homogenous in time, either over the course of seasons or even within a single season. This of course has profound consequences for surveys examining, for whatever reason/s, the temporal population patterns of insects, especially flying insects as here mostly discussed, including for programmes concerned with mating disruption using kairomones or sex pheromones. In the present article, the topics covered include: climate and climate change; changes in ecological niches due to changes in available hosts, i.e. essentially adaptation events; hybridization influencing behaviour-host shifts; infection by pathogens and parasites/parasitoids,; habituation to light, sound and sex pheromone lures; chromosomal/genetic changes affecting physiology and behaviour and hence pre- and post-zygotic effects; and insecticide resistance. If such phenomena are not at least considered during the execution of spatio-temporal studies-programmes, i.e. aspects and pitfalls, more especially in the light of the recent discovery of morphologically similar-identical cryptic species, then conclusions drawn from such studies and programmes may be in error and hence, especially in terms of efforts to combat pest insects or even conserve rare and endangered species, may end in failure.

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Incongruent relationships: Flowering plants are not good surrogates for insect pollinators John P. Simaika1,2, Samways M.J.3, Vrdoljak S.M.3 1IHE Delft, The Netherlands; 2Dept. of Soil Science, Stellenbosch University, South Africa; 3Dept. of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Stellenbosch University, South Africa The congruence between plants and insects is often considered as useful in conservation planning. The assumption is that taxonomically better known plants could serve as surrogates in conservation planning, than the comparatively poorer known insects. Congruence between insects and plants in biodiverse areas has not been well quantified. Here, we compared species richness and turnover between flowering plants and insect pollinators at distinct spatial distance classes from 0.5 to 80 km in a biodiversity hotspot, the Cape Floristic Region, South Africa. We sampled 22 352 anthophiles from 240 species and 348 plant species. Insect species richness and degree of turnover was comparable to that of plants. There was congruence between species turnover and the similarity of sites for the two groups, but plant diversity was overall a poor spatial surrogate for insect diversity across all distance classes. We conclude that while patterns of plant diversity and distribution shape flower-visiting insect assemblages, they are not reliable surrogates. STUDENT PRESENTER Habitat Association and Phenology of Carrion

Beetles (Coleoptera: Silphidae, Leiodidae) Matthew Esh, Oxbrough A. Edge Hill University, UK Carrion beetles are important species in terrestrial ecosystems; they play a significant role as decomposers of vertebrate carrion, an important ecosystem function. Despite this, their ecology and phenology is relatively understudied despite their importance to ecosystem functions and applications in fields such as forensic entomology. We determine carrion beetle assemblages in major habitat types: native broadleaf woodland, non-native coniferous plantations and unforested sites of grassland or heathland). Beetles were sampled using baited pitfall traps (with cheese and dead mice). Traps were active across the growing season. This will be the first study to examine UK Silphidae across a range of habitats adding to knowledge of their ecology and phenology nationally and in European temperate climates. Results indicate that habitat is important for Silphidae beetles but not so much for Leiodidae. There is a difference in the assemblages of Silphidae between forested and unforested site type with Nicrophorus vespilloides dominating forestry areas and Thanatophilus rugosus, T. rugosus and N. vespillo being found exclusively in unforested areas. Leiodidae are pg. 23

more abundant and species rich in forested site types than they are in unforested. For seasonal distribution Silphidae assemblages differ from early to the late part of the summer. Some species like N. vespilloides and N. vespillo are active all growing season. Others such as N. investigator prefers late summer and N. humator is bimodal avoiding the middle of the growing season.

The effect of agricultural management on soil entomology and soil health Felicity Crotty1, Wallis G.1, Bhogal A.2, Griffiths B.3, Stoate C.1 and Stockdale E.4 1 Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, Loddington, Leicestershire, UK; 2 ADAS Gleadthorpe, Nottinghamshire; UK, 3 SRUC, Crop and Soil Systems Research Group, Edinburgh, UK; 4 NIAB, Farming Systems Research, Cambridge, UK. The health of soils are being continually assessed both by farmers and through government regulations. However, only â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;livingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; things can have health, thereby introducing the concept of soil health, we are (unconsciously) acknowledging that we regard soil as a living ecosystem and not just an inert base for agriculture. Agricultural management will change the diversity and abundance of soil fauna, understanding this, is key to understanding soil health. Mechanical disturbance is known to impact soil fauna populations. However, at what point the disturbance has the greatest impact has not been assessed. A field-scale experiment was set up in a long-term notill field. This field had been zero tillage for the last eight years; however three strips were tilled whilst three strips remained no-till (annually for the next four years). Mesofauna were assessed pre-tillage and annually post-harvest, whilst earthworm abundance and diversity were sampled more regularly over the last year; pre-tillage, one month after tillage (October), two months after tillage (November), four months after tillage (January); six months after tillage (March) and annually post-harvest. The impact of till versus no-till will be discussed in relation to mesofauna and earthworm abundance and diversity; and how this relates to sustainable agriculture

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Wednesday 11:30 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 13:00

Ecological Entomology Genetics and ecology of variation in social organisation in the yellow meadow ant, Lasius flavus Gino Brignoli, Favreau E. and Wurm Y. Queen Mary University of London, UK Ants are among the most ecologically diverse and successful animals on Earth with more than 16,000 known species, and constitute a substantial part of all terrestrial living biomass. This success is, in part, down to variation in social organisation, which (at the most fundamental level) can be characterised by the number of egg-laying queens found in a colony. Single- and multiple-queen colonies are thought to be under balancing selection, i.e. one social form is advantageous in some environments while the other dominates under different conditions. Furthermore, queen number - as with number of fathers - fundamentally affects relatedness within the nest, and thus how selection acts on colony members. The widely-distributed yellow meadow ant, Lasius flavus, was commonly thought to have exclusively single queen colonies. However, inconclusive evidence has suggested that some colonies of this species have multiple queens. To confirm effective paternity, we use microsatellite genotyping from labreared offspring from single-queen colonies. To then unambiguously determine the number of reproductive queens per colony, workers from established wild colonies are similarly genotyped. We then explore possible factors driving social polymorphism in this species and consider how this might influence their highly successful ecological roles.

STUDENT PRESENTER Morphometric and morphological studies of Anopheles coluzzii and Anopheles gambiae eggs Nancy N. Dawam and Tripet, F. Keele University, UK The M and S molecular forms of Anopheles gambiae s.s. now named Anopheles coluzzii and Anopheles gambiae are relevant to the high prevalence of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. Although these recently diverged species are morphologically identical, they have different oviposition and larval habitat preferences. This ecological flexibility does not only affect the mosquitoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s adult and larval stages but could have an impact on egg behavioural and ecological characteristics. In order to investigate possible morphological differences facilitated by ecological adaptation between the sibling species, we studied egg shape variations between species and populations within species of Anopheles gambiae and An. coluzzii. Two approaches were used in the

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study, traditional and landmark-based geometric morphometrics. Differences in attributes such as egg lengths and widths between An. coluzzii and An. gambiae was observed. Clustering of individuals according to species was distinct when egg landmarks were subjected to geometric morphometrics. Our data shows the possibility of differentiating between An. coluzzi and An. gambiae using egg morphological characteristics. Egg morphological differentiation could offer an alternative method of species identification; it could reveal egg attributes contributing to drought resistance in Anopheles coluzzii, leading to a better understanding of malaria transmission. It can also lead to the identification of genes linked to ecological adaptation a mechanism of speciation between Anopheles coluzzii and Anopheles gambiae.

STUDENT PRESENTER Manipulations of diapause in a solitary bee Osmia bicornis: challenges and opportunities Nick Howe1, Hickenbotham K.2, WĂ¤ckers F.3, Sadler J.1, Hayward S.1 1University of Birmingham, UK; 2Birmigham Dental Hospital and School of Dentistry, UK; 3Biobest Group NV Mass-rearing of pollinator species may be useful to prevent pollination deficits and to mitigate over-reliance on stochastic, declining wild populations. Osmia bicornis, as a polylectic and common species, is well situated to be a target for mass-rearing. O. bicornis has an obligatory diapause period, which represents a challenge for achieving mass-rearing, it could also represent an opportunity as it could allow us to develop a method to store bees long-term. Throughout trials of different chemical, hormonal and temperature treatments we are beginning to understand that manipulations of diapause, whilst possible, may have negative consequences on the longevity of the bee. In addition, we test different storage regimes and assess how these influence the bees, particularly their lipid stores. We marry these results to UK wide emergence data and unpick possible hypothesis for how climate change is affecting this important bee species.

Evolution of xylophagy in longhorned beetles: Diversity and evolutionary history of plant cell wall degrading enzymes in the Cerambycidae Yannick Pauchet & Shin N. R. Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Germany The charismatic longhorned beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) are part of the most diverse group of wood-feeding (xylophagous) animals on Earth. Larvae of these beetles have evolved to thrive on a highly challenging and sub-optimal environment pg. 26

wood material - where they have to cope with the structural polysaccharides of the plant cell wall which make the bulk of their food. Earlier research indicated that cerambycid beetle larvae break down cellulose, hemicelluloses and pectins themselves by producing plant cell wall degrading enzymes (PCWDEs), independent of symbionts. Yet, the corresponding genes and the way they evolved remain elusive in this group of beetles. By combining gene discovery by sequencing beetle midgut transcriptome using RNA-Seq, to phylogenetic analyses and rapid screening of enzymatic activity by expressing the corresponding cDNAs in heterologous expression systems, this project aims to identify and characterize the genes encoding PCWDEs and to determine their evolutionary history in Cerambycidae. This research will provide information on how host plants and feeding behavior have shaped the composition of these gene families during the evolution of Cerambycidae; and on how PCWDEs contributed to build and maintain the biodiversity of this family of beetles.

Investigating sublethal pesticide effects on bumblebee behaviour and pollination services Dara A. Stanley1 & Raine N.E.2 1 University College Dublin, Ireland; 2 University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada Bumblebees are essential pollinators of many important agricultural crops and wild plants. While foraging in agricultural farmland bees are likely to be exposed to pesticides applied for crop protection. The systemic nature of neonicotinoid pesticides means they can be found in the nectar and pollen of mass flowering crops where bees and other pollinators become orally exposed while foraging. Although bees typically encounter these pesticides at sublethal levels, exposure may still have impacts on important behaviours such as foraging, which in turn could have consequences for the delivery of pollination services to other plants visited by exposed individuals. We examined the impact of two field realistic doses of a neonicotinoid pesticide, thiamethoxam, on bumblebee learning ability, flower visitation, foraging behaviour and the pollination services they delivered in a number of experiments. We found that exposure to pesticide can alter foraging behaviour of exposed bees, with consequences for the pollination services delivered. This has implications for both sustainable pesticide usage policy, and the management of pollination services to both crops and wild plants.

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The colonisation of fresh remains by the dermestid beetle Dermestes maculatus Alan Gunn Liverpool John Moores University, UK Dermestid beetles can be useful in forensic entomology for determining the minimum time since death. However, it is commonly assumed that they only colonise remains after these have dried out. The data presented in this talk demonstrates that Dermestes maculatus colonises corpses immediately after death. Egg laying begins within minutes of gaining access to a dead body and a dead rat can be reduced to a skeleton within 28 days. In the process, dermestid beetles cause post-mortem wounds that could be mistaken for pre-mortem trauma. Mass feeding by the larvae induces a localised but prolonged increase in temperature that can reach 10 degrees centigrade above ambient. This will have consequences for the speed of development of the dermestid larvae and of any other organism or microbe in the vicinity. This will have consequences for the estimation of the time since death. The fact that dermestid beetles are most commonly found on dry remains under field situations is therefore probably a consequence of inter-specific competition rather than food preference.

Wednesday 14:00 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 15:00

Wallace Prize Winner Wildfire alters the structure and seasonal dynamics of Mediterranean nocturnal pollen transport networks Callum J. Macgregor*, Banza P.,* Belo A.D.F., Fox R., Pocock M.J.O., & Evans M.D. *joint first-authors University of York, UK Wildfires cause important disturbance in Mediterranean ecosystems, but may become more frequent and severe under climate change. Post-fire plant communities often have increased floral abundance and diversity, but the effects of wildfires on the ecological process of pollination are poorly understood. Nocturnal Lepidoptera (moths) are globally important pollinators, but no previous study has examined the effects of wildfire on nocturnal pollination interactions. We investigated the effects of wildfire on nocturnal pollen-transport networks. We analysed the abundance and species richness of moths and flowers, and the structure of these networks, at three burned and three unburned sites in Portugal for 2 years, starting 8 months after a large fire. Moths transported pollen from 83% of flower species present, but fire had strong negative impacts on pollen transport and the structure of pollination networks. pg. 28

The strong negative effects of fire upon moths might permeate to other taxa through loss or alteration of nocturnal plant-moth interactions. With pulse perturbations from wildfire predicted to become more frequent, the resilience of communities may be eroded, despite short-term increases in floral abundance after burning. Better understanding of the responses of ecological networks to wildfire is needed to inform management that promotes resilience and facilitates whole-ecosystem conservation.

Wednesday 15:00 – 16:15

Insects and Society 1 The miniature muse. Insects in art and culture Pete Smithers Royal Entomological Society, UK Insects have inspired artists of all kinds across the centuries resulting in a diversity of entomological artwork that mirrors the diversity of the insects themselves. This talk examines the relationship between insects, artists and the public that view the work, revealing a deep and continuous fascination throughout human history.

The Baboon Spider Atlas – using citizen science and the ‘fear factor’ to map baboon spider distributions and diversity in Africa Heather Campbell1,2 and Engelbrecht I.2 1 Harper Adams University, UK; 2 University of Pretoria, South Africa Charismatic invertebrates are popular subjects for citizen science but it is harder to engage the public in research on animals that are perceived as dangerous. Baboon spiders are African members of the tarantula family. They are threatened by habitat loss and illegal harvesting for the pet trade, but conservation efforts are hampered by a lack of knowledge on their ecology. Here we describe the Baboon Spider Atlas, a project that embraces the ‘fear factor’ associated with spiders to motivate citizen scientists to submit photographic records. This helps us to map the diversity and distributions of baboon spiders (Araneae: Theraphosidae) by creating the largest occurrence records database in Southern Africa. Records also provide novel insights into baboon spider biology. Distribution ranges have been extended and potential new species discovered. Preliminary results suggest that their distribution may be limited more by cold, wet climatic conditions than hot, dry conditions. Records for wandering adult females and immatures highlight a previously undocumented behaviour and challenges the notion that baboon spiders are sedentary animals. pg. 29

Ultimately the project is generating the data needed for effective conservation and motivating further research that will provide a better understanding of baboon spiders

Insects; the good, the bad and the tasty! Heather Gibbard GreenBee Entomology and The Woven Network, UK Eating insects is traditionally practised in over 100 countries worldwide. Over 2000 insect species are known to be edible. Globally, the most frequently consumed species are beetles, caterpillars, bees, wasps and ants. In Europe entomophagy is low but it is gaining interest and with it, a small group of entrepreneur farmers and producers are gaining momentum. The sustainability and nutritional value of insects is the motivating force driving farmers just starting out in this emerging industry. Some EU countries such as The Netherlands are ahead in public acceptance of edible insects and have products in many supermarket chains. There are many insects that can be reared in the UK sustainably and if existing and new novel food applications are successful there is scope to widen the net. At present; house cricket (Acheta domestica), Jamaican field cricket (Gryllus assimilis), African migratory locust (Locusta migratoria), desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria), yellow mealworm beetle (Tenebrio molitor), superworm (Zophobas morio), lesser mealworm (Alphitobius diaperinus) western honey bee (Apis mellifera) and wax moth (Galleria mellonella) can all be reared and have different tastes and properties in foods. With increased human population and less land space to grow food, can insects save our bacon?

Wednesday 16:45 – 17:45

Insect Physiology STUDENT PRESENTER The good: they are a tool in forensics, the bad: their behavior is complex, the ugly: they are necrophagous maggots Cindy Aubernon, Hédouin V., Charabidzé D. UTML – Forensic Taphonomy Unit, Lille University, France Calliphoridae larvae are used in forensic entomology to date the death, using the correlation between larval development time and temperature. However, biotic parameters, and particularly larval behavior, deeply impact the development of Calliphoridae larvae. Due to the extreme conditions that the corpse presents, maggots face high selection pressure and are often subject to tradeoffs to optimize their development. Interspecific aggregation raises several benefits (heat emission, exodigestion, protection from predators) but often results in overcrowding and high pg. 30

local competition. In this context, our studies on the behavior were especially focused on 1) the thermopreference, 2) the thermoregulation, 3) the attraction/retention of the group and 4) the Allee effect. They highlight that gregariousness is intrinsically linked to a complex balance between costs and benefits: under field conditions, larval development looks like a never-ending tradeoff. This talk will describe how such developmental tradeoffs affect the development of necrophagous larvae and the importance of ethology for minimum PMI calculation in the field of forensic entomology.

STUDENT PRESENTER Early embryonic development in Bemisia tabaci Rebecca L. Corkill1, Kliot A.1, Morrison N.I.2, and Hogenhout S.A.1 1John Innes Centre, UK; 2Oxitec, UK The silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), is a highly invasive and destructive agricultural pest, with a global distribution. As a vector of plant viruses and by excreting honeydew which attracts mould, B. tabaci causes substantial economic losses to growers of more than 600 different plant species. Options for B. tabaci control are limited as this insect has evolved various insecticide resistance mechanisms. New management tools would offer growers valuable alternative options to protect crops. To enable discovery of new control methods, more knowledge on the fundamental biology of this insect must be generated. Here, we report on progress made with studying B. tabaci egg development. B. tabaci has a unique reproductive system; the males develop from unfertilised eggs (haploid) and females from fertilised eggs (diploid). Using knowledge gained from the extensively characterised Drosophila melanogaster egg development stages, we initiated a comparative analysis to dissect processes involved in the early egg development of B. tabaci with a focus on the pre-blastoderm to cellularization stages. Further insights into egg developmental biology can help optimise research tools such as germline transformation, which has a potential for new genetic methods of control.

STUDENT PRESENTER Aerial electroreception in arthropods: what we know so far and why it’s relevant Molly Rogers University of Bristol, UK Electroreception – i.e. the ability for an organism to sense electrical stimuli – has been documented in marine fauna for hundreds of years. Electrical signals are easily transferred through salt water due to its electrically conductive nature to be detected by specialised sense organs of many marine animals. Recent research has shown that some insects are able to detect electrical stimuli through air, an electrically insulative medium – something previously thought to be impossible. Since this discovery, pg. 31

researchers at the University of Bristol have attempted to identify the mechanisms, limitations and functions of aerial electroreception in arthropods. In this presentation I will outline existing research in this field, including what we know about the mechanism of electroreception in Bombus terrestris and other insects, discuss the preliminary results of my own investigations, and identify the priorities for future research in this field.

Reproductive performance, size and fitness consequences of Bracon hebetor Say rearing on two different hosts: Ephestia kuehniella (Zeller) and Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton) Abu B. Muhammad Raza1, Khalil M.S.1,2, Afzal M.1, Rattanatip J.2, Khalil H.1,2, Aqueel M.A.1 and Hance T.2 1Department 2Earth

of Entomology, University of Sargodha, 40100, Sargodha, Pakistan and Life Institute, Biodiversity Research Centre UCL, Belgium

In present study, various fitness related traits and life table parameters of B. hebetor parasitizing two of its potential host, Ephestia kuehniella and Corcyra cephalonica (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae) were studied. Weekly mean production of B. hebetor immature stages and adultâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s emergence was more important on E. kuehniella than on C. cephalonica. B. hebetor adult fitness traits such as tibia size and wing area significantly increased with the passage of time on C. Cephalonica than on E.kuehniella. Among male and female parasitoids, highest tibia size and wing area of B. hebetor male was observed from parasitized C. cephalonica. Significant highest dry mass of female B. hebetor was observed from E.kuehniella as compared to C. cephalonica. Similarly parasitoid intrinsic rate of increase (rm), reproductive rate (R0) and generation time (T) was good on E.kuehniella as compared to C. cephalonica respectively. Overall conclusion indicated that, excellent biological parameters (good immature numbers and adults emergence), fitness related traits (wing area, tibia size and dry mass) and short egg-adult development time of B. hebetor progeny on E. kuehniella make this insect of great potential to serve as valuable material for laboratory rearing and commercial usage.

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Thursday 10:00 – 11:00

Medical and Veterinary Entomology 1 Culicoides and the emergence of arboviruses in Europe: the issues of creating and retaining expertise on neglected vectors Simon Carpenter The Pirbright Institute, UK In the past two decades, the importance of arboviruses transmitted by Culicoides biting midges in Europe has risen dramatically, leading to a ‘golden age’ in research on this vector group. In this talk I will outline the emergence of these pathogens, placing the UK’s unique situation in context with continental Europe, and discuss how research is prioritised in response to vector-borne diseases, both with regards to risk and response to incursions. I will also identify current bottlenecks in research imposed by the biology of Culicoides which are among the smallest haematophagous flies known. This links to the second part of my talk, where I will discuss a project recently funded by the BBSRC, which seeks to bring together workers on Culicoides, sand flies and black flies and place research on these groups in context with each other. This project will act as a focus for collaboration and also enable research through catalyst grants for study in countries receiving Official Development Assistance from the UK government. The aim is to create a community that is more robust to rapid changes in funding and to address issues in working on some of the most challenging subjects in vector: pathogen interactions.

Characterization of the cuticular hydrocarbon biosynthetic pathway in the malaria vector An. Gambiae Linta Grigoraki, Lycett G. and Ranson H. Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, UK The emergence and spread of insecticide resistance in malaria vectors and the knowledge gaps on key aspects of the mosquito biology challenge the implementation of efficient control interventions and threaten the gains made in reducing malaria cases. The cuticle plays a critical role in the biology of mosquitoes and their response to control interventions. It protects from the penetration of external toxins like insecticides, prevents desiccation and influences chemical communication. We are investigating the biosynthetic pathway of cuticular hydrocarbons, the main components of the upper cuticle layer that remains poorly understood. We used the genome editing methodology CRISPR/Cas9 to generate an An. gambiae transgenic strain with fluorescently tagged oenocytes, the cells synthesizing cuticular hydrocarbons. Fluorescent oenocytes have been isolated with FACS for RNA seq, pg. 33

enabling us to reconstruct the hydrocarbon biosynthetic pathway. The same approach is being followed in a highly resistant strain with cuticular hydrocarbon variations linked to reduced insecticide penetration. This will allow us to perform comparative transcriptomic analysis and identify genes implicated in cuticular resistance. The role of the identified candidate genes in insecticide resistance and other traits influencing the fitness and thus vectorial capacity of An. gambiae will be investigated by manipulating their expression.

Insecticidal potential of Aframomum melegueta and Dennettia tripetala for the control of Callosobruchus maculatus Nkiru E. Ekechukwu, Ekeh F.N. and Agada S.O. University of Nigeria Nsukka, Nigeria. The demand for the use of environmentally friendly techniques in pest control has increased in recent years. Likewise the need to replace synthetic pesticide used in the stored product with locally sourced plant materials which has insecticidal effects has equally gained popularity among small-scale farmers since it offers a natural and lowcost method of protection to stored products. Here we tested the insecticidal potential of ethanolic extracts of two locally sourced botanicals; Aframomum melegueta and Dennettia tripetala for the control of Callosobruchus maculatus on Vigna subterranea. Phytochemical analyses of plant materials revealed varied percentages of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, steroids, saponins and tannins. The extracts were applied at the concentration of 0.5, 2.0, 4.0 and 6.0g to 20g of Vigna subterranea seeds in a plastic jar. Five pairs (males and females) of 0-1-day-old adult Callosobruchus maculatus were introduced into each treatment. Adult mortality and progeny emergence were recorded daily. The experiment was performed in three replicates per treatment group in both plants. Mortality increased with increase in concentration and exposure-period to both plants extracts. Although Dennettia tripetala extracts were significantly more effective than Aframomum melegueta for the two parameters measured, both extracts were successful in controlling Callosobruchus maculatus infestation and consequently, could serve as an alternative to synthetic pesticides.

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Thursday 11:30 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 13:00

Medical and Veterinary Entomology 2 Chemosensation: a new insecticide resistance mechanism in Anopheles gambiae sl Victoria A. Ingham1, Lycett G.1, Anthousi A.1, Douris V.2, Vontas J.2 and Ranson H.1 1Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, UK; 2IMBB/FORTH and University of Crete Insecticide-based vector control strategies are the largest contributor to the reduction in malaria cases since the year 2000, with pyrethroid-impregnated bednets accounting for almost two-thirds of this reduction. With insecticide resistance wide-spread in African malaria vectors; an alarming increase in malaria cases in 2017; and increasing evidence for reduced bednet efficacy, informed vector control strategies are more important than ever. To date, two main mechanisms of insecticide resistance have been identified: target site mutations and metabolic clearance. Here, we identify a novel insecticide resistance mechanism in Anopheles gambiae sl through chemosensory proteins. Chemosensory proteins are small soluble proteins that are expressed in sensory tissues and bind to volatiles and pheromone constituents. There are 8 members of the chemosensory protein family in An. gambiae sl; these have been annotated as 3 highly similar sensory appendage proteins and 5 more divergent chemosensory proteins. Here we show: (a) RNAi attenuation of one chemosensory protein, SAP2, leads to significantly increased mortality after exposure to three pyrethroid insecticides in a multi-resistant population; (b) Direct binding of the pyrethroid insecticides to SAP2 through competitive binding assays; (c) Transgenic overexpression of SAP2 in an insecticide susceptible population leads to reduced mortality after exposure to the pyrethroid, permethrin.

Shift in seasonal activity of insect vectors driven by site-specific climate change Christopher J. Sanders1, Shortall C.R.2, England M.1, Harrington R.2, Purse B.3, Burgin L.4, Carpenter S.1, Gubbins S.1 1The Pirbright Institute, UK; 2Rothamsted Research, UK; 3Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford, UK; 4The Met Office, Exeter, UK The incidence and intensity of outbreaks of vector-borne diseases could be particularly sensitive to climate change, due both to the physiology of their vectors and evidence of shifts in the timing of activity in other arthropod species. The lack of consistently standardised collections over a sufficient time span, however, impedes the detection shifts in the seasonal activity of vector species. Here we identified over 150,000 specimens of adult Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) from 2867

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collections at two sites in the UK between 1974 and 2012 in a unique dataset. Culicoides fauna were dominated by species previously identified as vectors of livestock viruses. Bayesian modelling approaches were used to parameterise the impact of meteorological conditions, changes in host density and land use on their abundance and activity season at both sites. Shifts of 0.5 to 1.5 days per year earlier in first appearance and 0.5 to 1.5 days per year later in last appearance of vector Culicoides species were recorded at one site. These shifts were driven by an increase in abundance of Culicoides and correlated with local increases in temperature and precipitation. The seasonal vector-free period contracted by 40 days at one site and simulation found that the seasonal period over which Culicoides-borne virus transmission could occur has significantly extended over time. This is the first evidence for the impact of climate change on the long-term population dynamics of an arbovirus vector and demonstrates that future impacts on vector population dynamics and vector-borne disease outbreaks will be regulated by local factors.

Mapping insecticide resistance in the dengue vector Aedes aegypti in Colombia Clare Strode1 & Omar Triana-Chavez2 1Edge Hill University, UK; 2 Universidad de Antioquia, MedellĂn, Colombia The mosquito Aedes aegypti is the vector of arboviruses such as dengue and Zika. In the absence of suitable vaccines chemical control of mosquitoes is the main method of disease prevention. Populations of Ae. aegypti were collected from nine dengue endemic cities in Colombia from 2016-2018 and screened against insecticides used in public health campaigns. Heterogenous levels of insecticide resistance against both adulticides and larvicides were found throughout the country. Resistance ratios (RR50) against the pyrethroid Îť cylohathrin for example ranged from 2.0 to 32.0. Three point mutations (V1016I, F1534C and V419L) in the sodium channel gene associated with knock-down resistance (kdr) were identified. One of the mutations (V419L) is the first to be described in Colombia. The three mutations were differentially correlated to specific insecticides. In addition to the above work RNAseq studies are currently underway to investigate changes in the transcriptome in response to insecticide exposure. Parallel to the field collections of mosquitoes educational activities were carried out in the nine cities with local schools and communities promoting improved water management techniques to reduce the availability of Aedes breeding sites. The aim was to empower local communities with the ability to protect themselves against vector borne diseases.

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Characterisation of sandfly (Phlebotomus argentipes) microbiota across Bihar district, India Poppy Stevens, Garrod G., Coleman M., Antwis R., Foster G., Goodhead I. University of Salford, UK VL is a Neglected Tropical Disease that causes more global fatalities than any parasitic disease except malaria, and is spread by several species of sandfly. The sandfly microbiome has been shown to impact disease transmission in multiple sandflyleishmania systems. Eastern India is an important focus of VL; 72% of cases occur in Bihar state, where the vector species is Phlebotomus argentipes and the VL species is Leishmania donovani. Despite its importance the microbiota of Ph. argentipes has only been partially characterised using axenic culture methods. We will present data on the core microbiome of Ph. argentipes across Bihar and investigate spatial microbiota dynamics using Illumina 16S sequencing. Seven hundred female Ph. argentipes sand flies were collected from six sites in Bihar; two tested positive for leishmania. Illumina MiSeq 16S microbiome data for a broad geographical subset of individual 240 Leishmania-negative flies shows high bacterial diversity within and between regions: common genera include Oxalobacteraceae, Moraxellaceae and Enterobacteriaceae. Uneven distribution of genera including Spiroplasma sp., Wolbachia sp. and Pantoea sp. was observed, and several potential targets for paratransgenesis were identified. These data will be used to shed light on the mechanisms contributing to VL transmission in India.

The impact of periodic distribution campaigns of long-lasting insecticidal-treated bed nets on malaria vector dynamics and human exposure in Dielmo, Senegal Seynabou Sougoufara1,2*, Thiaw O.1, Cailleau A.3,4, Diagne N.1, Harry M.5, Bouganali C.1, Sembène P.M.6, Doucoure S.1, Sokhna C.1 1URMITE (Unité de Recherche sur les Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales Emergentes),

IHU (Institut hospitalo-Universitaire), France; 2Keele University, UK; 3Unité d’Entomologie Médicale (UME), Institut Pasteur Dakar, Sénégal; 4CSRS (Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Cote d’Ivoire), Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire; 5UMR EGCE (Évolution, Génomes, Comportement, Écologie), Univ. Paris-Saclay, France; 6Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Sénégal The implementation of long-lasting insecticidal-treated bed nets (LLINs) has contributed to halving the mortality rate due to malaria since 2000 in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, some resurgences of malaria have occurred in some areas in SSA following the introduction of indoor interventions, thus underscoring the fragility of these strategies. Thus, to achieve the World Health Assembly’s new target to pg. 37

reduce the burden of malaria over the next fifteen years by 90%, it is necessary to understand how the spatiotemporal dynamics of malaria vectors and human exposure to bites are modified in the context of scaling-up global efforts to control malaria transmission. This study was conducted in Dielmo, a Senegalese village, before the introduction of LLINs, Period 1 (P1), following the introduction of LLINs (P2) and two rounds of LLINs renewals (P3, P4). Mosquitoes were sampled indoors and outdoors of houses. Variations in mosquitoes’ biting rates across nights were analyzed for An. gambiae s.l and An. funestus populations using a General Linear Mixed Model with the response variable (mosquito bites) with the fixed factors being, the species, rainfall or month, periods l of LLINs (P1, P2, P3 or P4) and location site. Data analysis that showed the implementation of LLINs is correlated to a significant decrease in the biting densities of the main malaria vectors An. gambiae s.l and An. funestus, reducing malaria transmission. The bulk of bites occurred during sleeping hours, but the residual vector populations had a higher propensity to bite outdoors after the renewal of LLINs in P3 and P4. In addition, the relative protection provided by LLINs to malaria exposure in users of LLINs relative to non-users decreased from 63% in P1 to 45% in P4, due to the increased proportion of outdoor biting compared to indoor biting in both vectors in P3 and P4. These results highlight the need to combine LLINs with complementary control measures against residual exposure of malaria to achieve the goal of eliminating malaria transmission.

Thursday 15:15- 16:00

Agriculture and Forest Entomology 1 Predator v. Pest: 35 years of Dendroctonus micans management Katrina Dainton Forest Research The great spruce bark beetle (Dendroctonus micans) was accidently introduced to the UK in the 1970’s. First discovered on the Wales / England border in 1982 it has slowly spread across both of these countries, and also reached South Scotland in 2003. D. micans larvae feed under the bark of spruce trees causing damage which weakens, and can kill, the trees. Fortunately a species-specific predatory beetle (Rhizophagus grandis) can be used to efficiently manage the impact of D. micans by reducing the damage that it causes and the speed at which it spreads. Forest Research (FR) developed and set up a R. grandis breeding programme near Ludlow in the 1980’s, where it has been based for 35years until being recently re-located to FR’s Northern Research Station in Scotland. This talk will: provide a brief overview of D. micans, pg. 38

including its life cycle and current pest status; reflect on the use of R. grandis as biocontrol agent; and discuss future considerations and potential pest management options.

Stemming the tide: the Royal Horticultural Societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s approach to plant health Andrew Salisbury, Robinson R. and Clover G. Royal Horticultural Society, UK New horticultural pests and diseases are arriving in UK at an increasing rate and some of those established continue to spread, these can have a serious effect on an industry which contributes more than ÂŁ10 billion to the UK economy each year. These pests and diseases can broadly be divided into long established problems such as lily beetle (Lilioceris lilii) to more recently introduced species such as oak processionary moth (Thaumetopoea processionea) and potential new threats such as Asian longhorn (Anoplophora glabripennis) and include the froghopper vectored Xylella fastidiosa bacterial plant disease. Such pests and diseases have the potential to have severe impacts on the appearance and operation of gardens. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) is often the first to see the effects of new problems and takes a leading role in developing advice for gardeners. The Society is also implementing new policies for its gardens, shows and retail activities that go beyond current statuary controls, to reduce the chance of new problems arriving and mitigating the effect of those already established. The presentation will outline these issues and discuss the approach to plant health being developed by the RHS.

Understanding American foulbrood in Northern Ireland Archie K. Murchie1, Tomkies V.2, Forsythe I.W.N.1, Williamson T.2 1Agri-Food & Biosciences Institute, Northern Ireland; 2FERA, UK; 3Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland American foulbrood (AFB) disease of honeybees is caused by the spore-forming bacterium Paenibacillus larvae subsp. larvae (White). The bacteria penetrate the gut epithelium, infect the haemocoel and kill the larva. Due to persistence of spores, the ease by which the pathogen can be spread and the severity of the disease, UK authorities implement an eradication policy. In 2015, Northern Ireland (NI) bee inspectorate recorded 40 infected apiaries, which is more than the 21 found in the whole of England and Wales during the same period. Given the greater numbers of beekeepers in England and Wales, this means that the prevalence of this disease in NI is substantially higher than that in GB. Mapping the incidence of AFB in NI for the past 10 years revealed sporadic geographic incidence of the disease, implying movement of the disease by the beekeeping trade, although there was also some evidence of pg. 39

localised spread. Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) of 2015 samples showed several sequence types (all ERIC 1) with greatest diversity clustered north of Lough Neagh. NI beekeepers are encouraged to implement biosecurity protocols to minimise transmission of AFB.

Thursday 16:30 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 17:30

Agriculture and Forest Entomology 2 STUDENT PRESENTER Carabid taxonomic and functional diversity in UK plantation forests Kirsty Godsman1, Oxbrough A.1, Barsoum N,2 1 Edge Hill University UK, 2 Forest Research, Forestry Commission There is a growing recognition of the need to balance the profitability of forest products against negative impacts on forest biodiversity and associated ecosystem functioning and resilience. To strike a better balance, there is a need for an improved understanding of how forest species taxonomic and functional diversity are influenced throughout a forest harvest cycle and between compositionally different plantation types. Functional diversity of forest flora and fauna is an informative measure of forest ecosystem functioning and also provides a measure of forest resilience when considering levels of redundancy within different functional groups. In this study we explored the taxonomic and functional diversity of ground-dwelling carabid beetles in Sitka spruce and Scots pine plantations at three stages of stand structural development (pre-thicket, mature and over-mature). We also sampled carabid beetles in mature semi-natural oak plots as an additional forest type. The Carabidae are useful bioindicators of habitat quality since they are morphologically diverse, sensitive to environmental factors and there is good understanding of the ecology of the family. They also contribute to ecosystem functioning as generalist predators of invertebrates (including pests), as granivores of plant seeds (including weed species) and by facilitating nutrient cycling.

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Bioassay of Beauveria bassiana and Acremonium perscinum, on Dichomeris eridantis Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) Larvae, an Important Pest of Dalbergia sissoo Gunjan Srivastava Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India. Dalbergia sissoo Roxb., (Family-Leguminosae; Subfamily- Papilionoideae), is an economically and ecologically important tree species. In pursuit to explore an effective eco-friendly control of Dichomeris eridantis, an important defoliator pest of D. sissoo, the efficacy of two entomopathogenic fungi, Beauveria bassiana and Acremonium perscinum, was studied against the 3rd, 4thand 5th instar larvae of D. eridantis. A comparative analysis of their median lethal concentrations (LC50) on the 3 rd, 4thand 5th instar larvae of D. eridantis on the 5th, 6th and 7th post treatment observation days after their application, proved B. bassiana to be more potential microbial pathogen for all the three instars of D. eridantis, on all the three days. Kochâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Postulates tested positive. LC90 values of 0.280x1011 spores/ml, 0.301x108 spores/ml and 0.262x108 spores/ml concentrations of B. bassiana were standardized which can effectively cause mortality of all the larval instars of D. eridantis in the field after 5th, 6th and 7th day of their application, respectively. Therefore, these concentrations can be safely used in nurseries as well as plantations of D. sissoo for eco-friendly and effective control of D. eridantis larvae.

STUDENT PRESENTER Investigating short term effects of elevated Carbon dioxide on forest insects: One year of data from BIFoR FACE Liam Crowley, Pritchard J., Sadler J., and Hayward S. University of Birmingham, UK Free Air Carbon Dioxide Enrichment (FACE) experiments allow us to assess the impact of elevated CO2 (eCO2) at an ecosystem scale. The new Birmingham Institute for Forest Research (BIFoR) FACE facility provides a unique opportunity to examine these impacts for the first time in a mature temperate woodland. Insects dominate forest biodiversity and are key drivers of important ecosystem processes such as herbivory and pollination, yet our understanding of how these interactions may be altered by eCO2 remains limited. We present a complete first year of invertebrate sampling data using a range of trapping techniques from woodland floor to canopy. This sampling has provided detailed information on insect diversity, abundance and phenological patterns across the complete first year of fumigation. Over 25,000 individuals were sampled, provided key insights into trapping efficacy of different sampling methods and variability across space and time. Specific focus is given to key feeding guilds such as phloem feeders and leaf-miners. A plan for how these initial results may be taken forward is discussed. pg. 41

The giant pine scale Marchalina hellenica: a local friend that became a pest Down Under Dimitrios N. Avtzis, Lubanga U., Eleftheriadou N., Andreadi A., Markoudi V., Lefoe G., Shaw R., Kenis M. Forest Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter, Greece The giant pine scale (GPS) Marchalina hellenica (Hemiptera, Margarodidae) is endemic in Greece and Turkey, where it is not considered a major pest of Pinus spp. but rather an abundant honey dew source for honey production. It very rarely causes tree mortality, even at high population levels. A possible agent that limits the impact of M. hellenica within its native range is the predatory fly Neoleucopis kartliana (Diptera, Chamaemyiidae). In 2014, GPS was found on ornamental pines in Melbourne and Adelaide, Australia. GPS causes significant damage to susceptible pines in Australia, especially Pinus radiata which is the main species grown in Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1,036,800 hectare softwood plantation estate. Hence, a thorough study of the natural enemy complex of GPS in Greece was initiated, in order to identify the most suitable agent for a biological control programme in Australia. Preliminary data reveals that N. kartliana is abundant in all GPS population studied in Northern Greece and is considered as the most promising biological control agent for introduction against M. hellenica in Australia.

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Friday 10:00 – 11:00

Insects and Society 2 The Good, The Bad and the Plain Just Wrong – Insects in Children’s Fiction Simon R Leather Harper Adams University, UK Staring with Aesop’s Fables, I move swiftly on to more modern times and review texts from the mid-1850s to now I comment on anthropomorphism, muse on the role of illustrators, deliver a diatribe and end by praising the work of Maya Leonard.

What do people want to know about insects and entomology? Luke Tilley and Sconce F. Royal Entomological Society Insects are important and fascinating. How do researchers and enthusiasts effectively communicate that message to a wider audience? How does that message compare with what the public usually wants to know about insects? Entomology provides us with charismatic examples for explaining a range of scientific concepts to the public, they are ecologically and economically crucial around the world and insects can be a popular topic, capable of attracting a high level of media attention. Their presence in almost every terrestrial habitat means that everyone is familiar with insects. This familiarity is informed by good or bad experiences, both of which can be used by scientists as a starting point to increase people’s understanding of insect science and the work of entomologists. To support greater understanding and awareness, the Royal Entomological Society organises a full programme of outreach activities for all ages and abilities. The benefits and challenges of an intensive outreach program will be presented, with insights on how entomologists and insects are perceived by the public. Interesting techniques for engaging the public with entomology will be discussed, using specific Royal Entomological Society events and activities as examples.

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Recording insect species with citizen science in Italy: scientific outputs on saproxylic beetles Alessandro Campanaro, Bardiani M., Hardersen S., Maurizi E., Mosconi F., Redolfi De Zan L., Roversi P.F., Sabbatini Peverieri G., Zapponi L., Mason F. Council for Agricultural Research and Economics & National Centre Forest Biodiversity "Bosco Fontana", Italy Citizen science has two key merits: firstly, it allows collecting a large amount of data and secondly, increases awareness towards environmental issues. We tested its application on five saproxylic beetles (Lucanus cervus, Osmoderma eremita, Cerambyx cerdo, Rosalia alpina, Morimus asper/funereus), three butterflies (Lopinga achine, Parnassius apollo, Zerynthia cassandra/polyxena) and a grasshopper (Saga pedo), all listed in the Habitats Directive. People were invited to send photos of the observed species, which were successively validated by experts. From 2014 to 2017 we received more than 3,000 reports for Italy. We also analyzed the submission preference (website vs. app), the "fidelity" of citizens to the project and some of the characteristics of the respondents. The data allowed for the highly recorded species to analyse biological and ecological traits. Furthermore, the study showed that citizen science projects can provide reliable distributional data for poorly known species of high conservation value. These promising results were the starting point for a new and ongoing project, targeting 30 insect species included in the Habitats Directive: InNat. With InNat we aim to apply citizen science to increase public awareness on protected insect species and on the importance of the Natura 2000 network.

STUDENT PRESENTER Automatic Bioacoustic Identification Apps for Citizen Science Based Insect Monitoring Projects Jack Smith and Chesmore D. University of York, UK The capturing and analysis of bioacoustic signals is a viable method for identifying the presence of acoustically communicating insect species and can be performed automatically by computer systems using machine learning and pattern recognition techniques. This presentation discusses the advent of bioacoustic recognition applications for smart-phones and tablet computers, and their potential for assisting in the monitoring of insect populations for biodiversity and ecology assessment as well as the early detection of pest species. An example iPad-based system for recording and recognising three Tibicen cicada (Cicadoidea) species is presented. The species focused on in this application are; Tibicen japonicus, Tibicen flammatus and Tibicen bihamatus. Preliminary testing shows the app can identify each species with an accuracy of over 95% when presented with noise inherent recordings made in a forest environment. The app can then be used to transmit each recording to a central pg. 44

database along with location, date and time information. A fully tested system could be harnessed as a data collection tool for large-scale citizen science biodiversity monitoring projects.

Friday 11:30 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 12:45

Insect Diversity and Conservation 2 20-year changes in abundance and richness of North American ant communities: a nonlinear response to temperature Michael Kaspari, Bujan J., Roeder K.A., de Beurs K., Weiser M.D. University of Oklahoma, USA We resurveyed--after ca. 20 years--transects from 34 North American ant communities toward testing theory linking abundance and richness of ectotherm communities to changes in climate. Consistent with Thermal Adaptation Theory, colony abundance increased then decreased as a siteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mean annual temperature increased. Consistent with Species Energy Theory, increased colony abundance drove higher local plot- and transect-level species richness but not a larger-scale estimate of the size of the surrounding species pool. We found little evidence for Janzenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Seasonality Hypothesis, as the distribution of upper and lower thermal limits of 132 common species across these communities did not track climate. Instead, most ant communities supported species with a diverse range of thermal tolerances. Even after accounting for temperature and abundance changes, local richness was still higher ca. 20 years after the original surveys. The nonlinearity of thermal performance curves may thus prove useful in predicting the changing geographic ecology of ectotherm communities in a warming world.

Epigeal spider assemblage responses to vegetation structure under contrasting grazing management in upland calcareous grasslands Ashley Lyons, Ashton P., Powell I., Oxbrough A. Edge Hill University, UK Spiders are important in terrestrial ecosystems as predators and as a food source for a range of taxa. They are primarily influenced by changes in habitat structure. Environmental changes caused by human intervention that influence habitat structure, can influence their diversity. We investigate the effects of commonly used grazing practices on sward structure and determine its relationship with spider diversity in internationally important upland calcareous grasslands. These habitats are

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some of the most species rich and diverse habitats in Europe but are threatened due to agricultural intensification and abandonment. While the need for sympathetic management is recognised to maintain their existence, there is currently disagreement between conservation bodies on the best way to manage this important resource in the UK. Typical grazing regimes (light cattle grazing, light sheep grazing, heavy sheep grazing and no grazing) were examined in three regions of upland calcareous grassland in Britain. Spiders were sampled using pitfall traps and sward structure was recorded in quadrats paired with pitfall traps sequentially throughout a growing season. Sward structure and spider assemblages differed among grazing treatments along with aspects of spider diversity which can be attributed to sward structure. Management recommendations are made to inform best practice for supporting spider fauna.

Edge effects and relic populations among Corticolous Collembola in Richmond park, Surrey Peter Shaw and Standing V. University of Roehampton, UK We report vacuum-collections of Collembola from tree bark (1-2m elevation) along 64m transects in four plantations within Richmond Park. The biggest factor affecting collembolan populations was found to be season (with numbers peaking in winter), along with the depth of bark crevices (with highest numbers in the deepest crevices). The two commonest Collembola, Orchesella cincta (L.) and Entomobrya albocincta (Templeton), showed significant woodland-edge avoidance. We collected far more specimens of Entomobrya corticalis (Nicolet) (128) than all previous reliable UK records combined (24), almost entirely off old oaks Quercus robur L. Additionally, the locally dominant bark-dwelling species Entomobrya intermedia Brook was replaced by Entomobrya nivalis (L.). These findings are the first report of an edge-effect in freeliving Collembola, and also suggest that the trees of Richmond Park are harbouring a relic springtail community in their bark crevices, isolated by the extensive acid grassland around them.

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STUDENT PRESENTER Colonisation of novel environments in the Anthropocene: insects on introduced plants Roberto Padovani, Salisbury A, Thomas C. University of York, UK Mankind has facilitated the creation of countless novel environments during the Anthropocene. There is a lack of theory and empirical evidence to explain species accumulation in these novel environments. Most non-native plants arrived in Britain through human agency, and so function as model anthropogenic novel environments for plant associated insect species. We sampled experimental plots containing a multitrophic assemblage of insects associated with a diverse community of native and non-native plants, and found that host plant native status and phylogeny have a large impact on associated insect diversity. We conclude that more phylogenetically distinct plants hosted less species-rich and less abundant insect communities, although in some cases these communities were particularly distinctive. The same patterns were revealed when exotic plants were contrasted with native plants. Differences emerged when pollinators were compared with other insect functional groups. Pollinator diversity was influenced by a wide spectrum of host plant phylogenetic relationships (both overall phylogenetic isolation and nearest phylogenetic neighbour distance), whereas other insects were only influenced by close phylogenetic relationships (nearest phylogenetic neighbour distance). Nonnative plant/insect systems provide a powerful tool to better our understanding of novel environment colonisation, and are helping us to shed light on complex interactions that are becoming increasingly more common as the Anthropocene progresses.

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Wednesday 17:45 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 19:00

Poster Abstracts Alphabetical by lead author STUDENT PRESENTER The role of open and closed canopy space in supporting macro-moth-assemblages in plantation forests Shelby Anderson Edge Hill University, UK The UK has seen a decrease in woodland cover, with the lowest being 5% of total land area. This loss in woodland has caused a rapid decrease in species populations. However, there has been an increase in forest cover in recent years, yet large portions of this is from plantation woodland, which often has a low biodiversity level. We have recently had a drive for conserving species in the UK, but have been known to neglect the less loved species. For example, many invertebrate species which are key in supporting the wider ecosystem; moths being one of them. Moths are a highly important species, with a variety of ecological functions; they are pollinators, and a food source for small mammals and birds. Very little work has been carried out on moths compared to their more attractive counterpart, the butterfly, yet they have also going through major population decline. This poster will discuss my undergraduate research currently being conducted on moth assemblages in Delamere Forest, Cheshire. I am using heath light traps sample moths in seven paired plots of open habitat and closed canopy during August. Each plot will be visited four times and all individuals identified to species. I am carrying out this investigation with the hope that the results can benefit future conservation of these important invertebrate, and also assist in forest management, to preserve British moth assemblages.

Estimating population density with pheromone traps versus Distance sampling: preliminary data for Thaumetopoea pityocampa in Thessaloniki (Greece) Dimitrios N. Avtzis, George I. Memtsas, Boutsis G., Simi N., Mantzarli V., Eleftheriadou N., Ioakimidis A., Tsikoura A., Karydopoulos T., Bataka A., Chronopoulou G. Forest Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter, Greece Pine Processionary Moth (PPM) Thaumetopoea pityocampa is one of the most abundant and important pests of pine forests in the circum-Mediterranean countries, with populations that experience outbreaks from time to time. As for many eruptive pests, it is essential to accurately assess population density of the pest in order to pg. 48

promptly decide the management measurements to be taken. Traditionally this assessment is based on the number of catches in pheromone traps that allows a prognosis of next generationsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; level. To test the sensitivity of pheromone catches at different exposures, we have applied the Distance sampling method using 50meter-long line transects along which we counted the heavily infested pine trees in the suburban forest of Thessaloniki (Greece). By doing this, we obtained an estimate of PPMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population density that will be subsequently evaluated and compared with catches in pheromone traps. Preliminary results show that Distance sampling method encompasses the sensitivity and accuracy needed for this assessment, suggesting it as a possible alternative approach in similar surveys.

Automated Acoustic Observatories: Computerised monitoring of Orthoptera Ed Baker, David Chesmore, Davis K., Hill J., Mayhew P. University of York, UK The charismatic songs of the Orthoptera are familiar throughout summer in the European countryside, but what is it possible to learn about these insects using sound alone? The Leverhulme funded Automated Acoustic Observatories project is developing small, low-cost battery powered computing devices that are capable of identifying species of singing Orthoptera in the field, including species with ultrasonic songs. These devices allow for the continuous monitoring of species throughout the year with minimal human intervention, alongside measurements of abiotic conditions. The British fauna in particular has seen notable recent changes, with range expansion in the Speckled Bush Cricket and the introduction of the Tree Cricket in Kent. The Mole Cricket in the New Forest and the Field Cricket in Surrey are of particular conservation interest. Automated acoustic monitoring provides a low impact and low cost method of accurately assessing the changing distributions of these species over extended time periods. Combined with high resolution and hyper-local measurements of abiotic conditions these automated records of species occurrence have the potential to guide future management plans for vulnerable species, and to provide great insights into the ecology of all singing Orthoptera.

STUDENT PRESENTER The Effect of Tree Species Diversity and Drought on Spider Assemblages 1Brenden

Beckett,2 Jactel H.,2 Jouveau S.,1 Oxbrough A. 1Edge Hill University, UK; 2Biogeco, INRA, University of Bordeaux, France Despite growing knowledge of the benefits of mixed-species forests over monocultures for the provision of ecosystem services, it is still relatively unknown how pg. 49

increasing tree species diversity impacts biodiversity across multiple taxa. Mixed species forests modify environmental conditions such as structural diversity or canopy conditions, which may be beneficial to biodiversity, in comparison with monocultures. They may also attenuate the adverse effects of climate change through a buffering of extreme variations. Here, we determine the effect of increasing tree species diversity and the interaction with drought conditions, on ground-dwelling spider assemblages. 20x20m plots of one, two, three, four and five species mixtures were studied at the ORPHEE experiment, established in 2008 in France. The tree species were Betula pendula, Quercus robur, Quercus pyrenaica, Quercus ilex and Pinus pinaster. Eight tree species combinations and their monocultures replicated across six blocks were used. The effect of drought was studied by experimentally manipulating irrigation in three of the blocks. Spiders were sampled using four pitfall traps per plot, sampling for two weeks each month from April to September 2017. Here we present preliminary analyses of the data and discuss implications for forest ecosystem function under changing climate conditions.

STUDENT PRESENTER The importance of wild & managed pollinators to Irish crops: Preliminary results Katherine Burns & Stanley D. National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland Pollinators are important ecosystem service providers and play a role that is vital to the function of ecological communities and sustainable food production. However, the continued availability of these services may be at risk due to the recent global decline of pollinators. Understanding how different pollinator groups contribute to crop pollination, particularly the role of pollinators managed by humans (e.g. honeybees) in comparison to the services provided by wild pollinators, is essential to effectively restoring and preserving a sustainable flow of services for generations to come. In Ireland, relatively nothing is known about the contributions of different pollinator groups to crop pollination. Therefore, to assess the relative contributions of different pollinator groups to Irish crop pollination, we conducted focal observations, transect surveys, body-pollen collection, and pollen limitation experiments in bean fields and apple orchards (two of the most widely grown insect-pollinated crops in Ireland). We will use our pollination data, as well as available crop margins, yields, and returns, to conduct an economic valuation to assess the contributions of Irish pollinators to Irelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s natural capital. The results of our research will inform practical solutions for the sustainable management of Irelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s natural capital through wild pollinator conservation and crop production.

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STUDENT PRESENTER Who’s the thief: nectar robbing behaviour by bumblebees on the naturalised Fuchsia in Ireland Emmeline Cosnett & Stanley D. National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland Originating in South America, Fuchsia (Ongaraceae) is an introduced species of flowering plant which has become naturalised across Ireland. In its native range, Fuchsia is typically pollinated by hummingbirds, and the flowers have evolved a shape and colour to facilitate this. However, with no hummingbirds in Ireland, insects such has bumblebees are commonly seen visiting flowers. Some bumblebees legitimately visit flowers, whereas others have been observed to “rob” the flowers and extract nectar without coming into contact with the reproductive parts as accessing nectar can be morphologically difficult. We carried out observations of Fuchsia at 10 sites across the midlands and west of Ireland. We aimed to 1) identify which bumblebee species visit Fuchsia flowers, 2) observe whether they visited both legitimately and/or nectar robbed, and 3) in turn uncover any relationships between bee size and flower morphology and nectar robbing behaviour. Our research will help to understand the relationship between non-native plants and pollinating insects outside their native range, as well as building our understanding of bee morphology and links with nectar robbing behaviour. Moreover, we aimed to observe the impact of Irish bumblebee species as potentially successful pollinators of this non-native, naturalized plant.

Taxonomic Descriptive Concept Rowan Edwards, Mike Edwards Edwards Ecological and Data Services Ltd. The alteration of a taxon by means such as splitting, merging, and renaming, may detrimentally affect any work which relies on correct and accurate identification of that taxon. Affected works include genetic libraries, scientific papers, and recording schemes. Splitting a Type results in two differing occurences of the same name. The post-split occurrence reflects the current ‘true-to-Type’ interpretation, whilst the presplit occurrence represents a potential amalgamation of all post-split Types. These occurrences are referred to as ‘concepts’ and are distinguished by variances in their taxonomic descriptions, hence their name of taxonomic descriptive concepts. Using software engineering and architecture guidelines, this project examines the Linnaean Type structure to extrapolate a solution. In particular, E.F. Codd’s rules of database normalisation play a large part of this process, to ensure that the solution meets modern data management standards. The solution proposed is based on an extension to the existing Linnaean Type system rather than a redesign of the entire nomenclatural process. This ensures a degree of familiarity to the system, as well as providing a method for this new system to communicate with other systems which pg. 51

may not have been upgraded. Furthermore, as the revised system relies on matching a taxonomic descriptive concept to a Linnaean Type, the proposed system can interface with any other Type-based system. The result is a Type-oriented system which maintains integrity over taxonomic alterations, whilst retaining the ability to be utilised by existing Type-oriented systems.

Stress-dependent reproductive investment in Anopheles gambiae s.l. Nkiru E Ekechukwu2 and TripĂ¨t F.1 1 Keele University, UK; 2University of Nigeria Nsukka, Nigeria. Life history theory predicts that an individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current reproductive investment should depend on its future reproductive value. In the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae s.l., male-male competition and female monandry translates in male reproductive success heavily depending on limited mating opportunities and sperm reserves. Short gonotrophic cycles imply that females can produce only a limited number of egg-batches and rely on a single male's insemination. We experimentally tested the effect of pre-mating hydric stress on male sperm transfer and female sperm maintenance of this vector species. Virgin males or females were stressed overnight in order to simulate environmental uncertainty, hence the prospect of a decreased lifespan. They were exposed overnight with non-stressed mates in standardized mating assays. Sperm transfer, uptake and maintenance were quantified using qPCR, and while sperm activity was determined via video recording. When subjected to lifethreatening stress, males responded by increasing their current reproductive investment and transferred significantly larger amounts of sperm. Females did not significantly change their sperm uptake following overnight stress, nor did they alter their sperm maintenance strategy. Hydric stress had a positive effect on the maleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current investment, whereas in the females, similar stress condition had no impact on sperm uptake. Post-mating hydric stress also had no effect on sperm activity and sperm maintenance.

STUDENT PRESENTER Predicting the future: Migration patterns, firstflight and evolution of resistant biotypes of a trap-shy aphid pest Dion Garrett1, Bell J.1, Morales-Hojas R.1, Collier R.2, Teakle G.2, Donovan C.3 1Rothamsted Research, UK; 2University of Warwick, UK; 3G's Fresh, UK The currant-lettuce aphid, Nasonovia ribisnigri, is a major pest of outdoor lettuce and is responsible for large economic losses. The use of insecticides and host-resistant lettuce cultivars are currently the best method to reduce aphid outbreaks. However, insecticide-resistant biotypes and others that break host-plant resistance (Rb) have recently been found in the UK. In the absence of lettuce cultivars with a new resistance mechanism, N. ribisnigri infestations will escalate. Early warning information from pg. 52

local and national surveillance schemes could improve targeted control of N. ribisnigri before aphids enter lettuce crop. Paradoxically, whilst winged aphids are quick to colonise lettuce in spring, they are unusually scarce in current trapping methods. Therefore, it is important to understand the population genetics of this pest to infer its dispersal capacity and design efficient methods of capture and control. Fieldwork will test a variety of trapping methods to optimise N. ribisnigri capture and collected specimens will be analysed using molecular techniques. Additionally, by incorporating over 50 years of phenological data from the Rothamsted suction trap network, a forecasting model will be constructed to help predict and understand first -flight and migration patterns of this agricultural insect pest.

STUDENT PRESENTER The use of setae as a diagnostic tool in mosquito identification Amy Gill, Stewart R, Beresford J. Edge Hill University, UK In this study, we aimed to investigate if Ochlerotatus caspius and Ochlerotatus detritus species can be separated using setae abundance on the thorax. If this were the case, we hoped to see if it can be used to create a proxy for damaged species identification. Ochlerotatus caspius and Ochlerotatus detritus are both found in salt marsh environments in Britain and Europe. The reason that it is important for these two species to be easily distinguishable is because Oc. caspius is a primary vector of arboviruses, including West Nile, while Oc. detritus is not. Sometimes when collecting samples using a Mosquito MagnetÂŽ, they are often damaged which makes key methods of identification difficult. The use of alternative diagnostic tools that do not rely on easily damaged features of the mosquito will aid in identifying Oc. Caspius. For this project, the Scanning Electron Microscope was utilised to focus on 4 regions of the thorax, these four regions of the thorax were selected at random. The setae number was counted on each of these regions on each specimen.

Wildlife Photography from a Macro perspective Rod Hill Edge Hill University, UK In nature wild animals have to source their food without becoming the next meal themselves, therefore, to survive in the wild, wildlife must be cautious and sometimes cunning. Often timid, wildlife can be hard to find and approach. Many people pay exorbitant prices for their cameras and the requisite long telephoto lens and travel at cost to far away lands to attempt to capture images of exotic wildlife. However, for a comparatively modest sum it is possible to seek out diverse and interesting wildlife on your own doorstep without the expense of travel. In particular, the world of Macro pg. 53

Photography, where the quarry is typically much smaller such as invertebrates and flora. For the budding nature photographer, ‘macro photography’ can be a rewarding and informative learning curve. In the UK we have over 30 000 terrestrial and freshwater invertebrate species. Of course, not all are possible to photograph such as the many and varied microscopic micro fauna. The number of species that can potentially be photographed are in the many thousands. It should be possible to find at least a minimum of a few hundred species (a very conservative estimate) locally almost anywhere in the UK. However, it is very unlikely that you will find a subject to pose for you, let alone pose in an aesthetically pleasing way. Therefore, this poster will discuss briefly the equipment required, the techniques used and fieldcraft employed to attempt to capture these subjects without necessarily having to leave your own garden.

Pesticide Use in Northern Ireland’s Arable Crops 1992-2016 and Implications for Future Policy Development Stephen Jess, Matthews D.I., Murchie A.K., Lavery M.K. Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Belfast, UK Since the 1960s, the objective for the United Kingdom (UK) government policy and legislation on crop protection practices has been to minimise the impact of pesticide use in agriculture and horticulture to the wider environment. Subsequent European Union (EU) policy and legislation have also targeted this objective through a demanding approvals process, competency tests for users, maximum residue limits, regular post-registration monitoring and the promotion of integrated pest and disease management techniques. However, none of this substantive regulation refers to target reduction levels for pesticide use. Since 1992, the number of arable farms in Northern Ireland has decreased by 61% with a consequent reduction of 34% in the area of arable crops grown. Despite this reduction in area of arable crops grown, the area treated by the major pesticide groups increased by 49% due to intensification, but the weight of major pesticides applied to arable crops decreased by 37%. However, the intensity of application measured by the total quantity of all pesticides applied to the basic area of arable crops treated remained relatively constant at approximately 3.2 kg/ha. Pesticide usage trends and reduction policies in other geographic regions are also discussed for comparative purposes.

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STUDENT PRESENTER Can subterranean pitfall traps improve the quantification of carabid ecosystem services? Kelly Jowett Rothamsted Research / Reading University, UK Carabids (ground beetles) have long been studied due to their ubiquity, ease of capture, and utility as indicators of environmental quality. In agricultural ecosystems a large body of work exists on carabids. Studies have shown that carabids can have considerable impact on crop pests and weed seeds through predation, yet large knowledge gaps hamper effective implementation of measures to improve ecosystem service provision. An intriguing gap is knowledge on the ecology of carabid larvae. Larvae are reported to be predominantly carnivorous, in some cases irrespective of adult diet. They also occur differentially in time and space to the adults, with the potential to be active in the crop area when adults are more dormant, and in areas less favoured by adults. Yet much of this knowledge is assumed, by extension from morphology and laboratory studies. Though larvae are often caught in standard pitfall traps, they are often disregarded in analysis, and seldom identified to species level due to taxonomic intractability. This study explores the differential occurrence of carabid adults and larvae, by species, across crops and cultivations. Standard and subterranean pitfalls were used in a choice experiment, with soil cores; along with a methods test in efficacy of trapping techniques.

STUDENT PRESENTER Ground-dwelling carabid beetle diversity in monoculture and mixed tree species stands at the Gisburn experimental trials, Lancashire, UK Jillian Mayberry1, Dockery T.1, Barsoum N.2, Cottrell J.3, Lancaster L.1 1 University of Aberdeen, UK; 2 Forest Research, Surrey, UK; 3 Forest Research, Midlothian Increasingly, international forest policy is encouraging the establishment of mixed tree species plantations, in preference to monocultures, in an effort to improve woodland resilience and enhance biodiversity. However, few controlled studies exist which assess the biodiversity impacts of this practice in typical UK plantation mixtures. We used the Gisburn experimental trials (Lancashire, UK) to study tree species compositional effects on the diversity of ground-dwelling Carabids (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in monocultures and two-species mixtures of Scots pine, Norway spruce, common alder and sessile oak. Over a period of 8 weeks (May-July 2017) beetles were caught in pitfall traps set up in eight different treatment plots of 0.2ha arranged in three replicate blocks. We found significantly lower carabid beetle abundance and species richness in Norway spruce monocultures compared with the other plots. Highest species evenness was observed in the Norway spruce-oak mixture and species pg. 55

richness was greater in this mixture than the Norway spruce monoculture. The oak â&#x20AC;&#x201C; alder mix harboured the greatest species abundance and species richness but the lowest evenness overall. Our findings support the current guidelines for mixed species plantations providing for greater biodiversity, especially when including native deciduous tree species in an equitable mixture with non-native conifer tree species.

STUDENT PRESENTER The role of cuticular modifications in conferring insecticide resistance in the Dengue vector mosquito Aedes aegypti Jasmine Morgan, Charnock J., Salcedo-Sora J.E., Triana-Chavez O., Strode C. Edge Hill University, UK Aedes aegypti is the vector mosquito for a number of arboviruses including dengue, Zika and chikungunya. The application of insecticides is the primary method for controlling these mosquitoes and the diseases which they transmit. However, successful control of Ae. aegypti is now threatened by the emergence of global insecticide resistance. Several mechanisms of insecticide resistance have been identified but many are still poorly understood due to lack of investigation. Cuticular modification as a mechanism of insecticide resistance has been investigated in malaria and Japanese Encephalitis vector mosquitoes (Anopheles gambiae, Culex pipiens pallens etc.) but not in Ae. aegypti. This study uses multiple approaches to investigate cuticular modifications in Colombian populations of Ae. aegypti with varying levels of insecticide (pyrethroids) resistance. The expression of genes associated with the formation and maintenance of the cuticle will be analysed using RNA sequencing. In addition, the cuticle thickness, its biomechanical properties (e.g. hardness and rigidity) and biochemistry (protein, lipid and carbohydrate content) will be compared across the differentially resistant populations. The results will increase knowledge of insecticide resistance mechanisms in this significant disease vector and will be used to inform development of novel vector control strategies.

Study of Diversity of Family Encyrtidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) in Forest Habitat of Doon Valley, Uttarakhand, India. Rashmi Nautiyal and Singh S. Forest Entomology Division, Forest Research Institute, Dehradun (Uttarakhand), India Encyrtidae is one of the largest families of superfamily Chalcidoidea of Parasitic Hymenopterans. They are endoparasitoids or hyperparasitoids of other arthropods and have the greatest impact on maintaining diversity. It not only forms a major component of diversity itself, but also is very important in sustaining diversity in other groups. The present study is based on collection of Encyrtidae (Chalcidoidea: Hymenoptera) made during a survey in Doon Valley from 2008 to 2011 in all the five pg. 56

seasons (Spring, Summer cum Pre-monsoon, Monsoon, Post-monsoon, Winter) for each year. The collections were made from forest habitat in different localities of the Valley using sweep net and yellow pan trap methods. Total of 1346 specimens of encyrtids were collected and identified from the forest habitat (745 with sweep net and 601with yellow pan trap). Of these, season-wise (post monsoon, spring, summer, monsoon, and winter) represented Encyrtids were 30.46%, 19.31%, 17.16%, 16.64% and 16.41%, respectively. A total of 161 species of Encyrtidae belonging to 43 genera under 2 subfamilies were recorded.

STUDENT PRESENTER DNA-based identification of hornetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diet using its meconium Gowri Prakash1,2 Lock J.A.W.3, Vogler A.P.2,3 1 Annamalai University, India, presently with 2Imperial College, London; 3Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom Hornets are social wasps that build communal nests. Adult workers prey on other insects, including honey bees, to feed the developing larvae in the nest. During the entire larval period an individual accumulates the metabolic waste in the gut and excretes it as meconium at the end of the larval stage. The meconium remains at the bottom of the nest cell until it is abandoned. DNA analysis on individual meconia produced high yields of DNA which was used for DNA metabarcoding to investigate the diet of these wasps. The results provide a detailed picture of individual larval waspsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; diet, and are in agreement with previous feeding trials and field observations, while also retaining DNA of insects scavenging in the nests. The approach can provide a quick and simple method for future diet studies of social wasps.

Invasive alien Blackwattle (Acacia mearnsii) trees increase biomass and nutrient in mountain streams, but are not preferred by macroinvertebrate herbivores John P. Simaika1,2, Railoun Z.2,3, Jacobs S.2,3 1 IHE Delft, The Netherlands; 2 Dept. of Soil Science, Stellenbosch University, South Africa; 3 Dept. of Conservation Ecology, Stellenbosch University, South Africa Invasive Australian Acacias are reported to be the most harmful of invading species in the Cape Floristic Region (CFR), a global biodiversity hotspot. Of special concern is Blackwattle (Acacia mearnsii), a leguminous, nodule-forming species, and nitrogenfixer, known to reduce surface water flow in streams. However, the timing and amount of additions of biomass and nutrient to invaded freshwater ecosystems are not known. Another gap in knowledge is the decomposition of the leaf litter and the affinity or avoidance of the leaf litter by macroinvertebrate herbivores. We found that the annual leaf litter fall of A. mearnsii in riparian zones was nearly nine times greater pg. 57

compared to native fynbos vegetation. Native trees dropped their leaves only once a year in mid-summer, while A. mearnsii leaves were dropped twice a year, in midsummer and mid-autumn. Unlike native species, A. mearnsii leaf litter had high concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus. In stream, invasive species leaf litter decomposed at a significantly faster rate than that of fynbos species, which was explained by differences in litter quality between species. We did not find evidence for macroinvertebrate preference for alien or native leaf litter.

Actinic light trap use in early spring on a Scottish island Dave Skingsley Department of Biological Sciences, Staffordshire University, UK. Since 2011 Staffordshire University has run a spring field trip to the FSC Millport facility on the isle of Cumbrae in the firth of Clyde. The dates coincide with Easter such that the course take place in late March or early April with their being a separation of 14 days between these times. During the week-long course 6W Actinic light Heath traps are run as part of the undergraduate teaching programme. This has provided an insight into the macro-moth lepidopteran profile of the island at this time of year. Between 2011 and 2018 the trap was run for 66 nights and attracted 231 moths from 28 species. Analysis of the data reveals 10 species that only occur in March trapping and 6 species that appear only in the April trapping. Of the remaining species 4 show a March bias and 1 shows an April bias with 7 species showing no preference. Analysis of the data will consider the microclimates of islands to see if this has influenced the trends observed. Many thanks to FSC Cumbrae and before that the Universities of Glasgow and London Millport Marine Station, for allowing moth trapping on their premises. Many thanks also the enthusiasm of 7 years of undergraduates from Staffordshire University.

STUDENT PRESENTER Automatic Bioacoustic Identification Apps for Citizen Science Based Insect Monitoring Projects Jack Smith, Chesmore D. University of York, UK The capturing and analysis of bioacoustic signals is a viable method for identifying the presence of acoustically communicating insect species and can be performed automatically by computer systems using machine learning and pattern recognition techniques. This presentation discusses the advent of bioacoustic recognition applications for smart-phones and tablet computers, and their potential for assisting in the monitoring of insect populations for biodiversity and ecology assessment as well as the early detection of pest species. An example iPad-based system for recording and recognising three Tibicen cicada (Cicadoidea) species is presented. The species pg. 58

focused on in this application are; Tibicen japonicus, Tibicen flammatus and Tibicen bihamatus. Preliminary testing shows the app can identify each species with an accuracy of over 95% when presented with noise inherent recordings made in a forest environment. The app can then be used to transmit each recording to a central database along with location, date and time information. A fully tested system could be harnessed as a data collection tool for large-scale citizen science biodiversity monitoring projects.

Refugia of agricultural landscape as environments for endangered and rare species of wild bees (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Apiformes) in Poland Anna Sobieraj-Betlińska, Banaszak J. Kazimierz Wielki University, Poland The results of research on wild bees in the agricultural landscape near the city of Bydgoszcz in northern Poland are presented. The research was conducted within woodlots surrounded by fields, small forests and thermophilic meadows belonging to Arrhenatheretum elatioris association. The aim of the study is to present these environments as refugia of endangered and rare bees species in Poland. In total, 189 bee species were recorded. According to “Fauna of Poland” as many as 33 species are of endangered category. The taxon with the highest endangered status is Sphecodes marginatus (EX – extinct species). Among the vulnerable species (VU) the following were distinguished: Andrena alfkenella, A. falsifica, A. lepida, A. mitis, A. nycthemera, A paucisquama, A. semilaevis, A. suerinensis, A. symphyti, A. viridescens, Hoplitis papaveris, Hylaeus punctatus, Nomada conjungens and N. opaca. Very rare and rare species were also recorded. The authors postulate making efforts to preserve woodlots surrounded by fields, small forests and thermophilic meadows belonging to Arrhenatheretum elatioris association in the agricultural landscape as refugia that raise the level of species diversity on the example of wild bees. The role of these environments is particularly valuable in the context of nature protection and the survival of species.

STUDENT PRESENTER How is diversity of freshwater invertebrates in an urban pond affected by surrounding vegetation? Graham Stelfox and Valentine T. Edge Hill University, UK In freshwater systems, vegetation type can affect community structure as vegetation can provide physical structure as well as changes in food structure and abundance. More information on these factors that affect invertebrate communities in managed landscapes is needed to inform management practices for conservation. Ponds are pg. 59

important hotspots for biodiversity. Collectively, they support more species, and more scarce species, than any other freshwater habitat. Our research study was to see How the diversity of freshwater invertebrates in an urban pond is affected by its surrounding vegetation. we had 12 different samples, 6 of low density and 6 of high density vegetation, leaving at least 3 Metres between each sample site. using a Dshaped net with a sweeping motion for 30 seconds at each site. Random sampling was used in this study. Species richness was significantly greater in high vegetation density areas. Abundance of invertebrates was significantly greater in high density vegetations. Higher density vegetation provides more food abundance and protection for aquatic invertebrates hence a significantly greater species diversity.

Colonisation and succession of beetles on carrion and their relationship with decomposition Barbara Tigar, Miller-Lawrence J., Cross P.; University of Central Lancashire, UK Forensic applications of the Diptera are well known, particularly their relationship with post mortem interval (PMI) or time since death. However, the relationship between other insect orders and decomposition is not so well understood. This study investigated the colonisation of fresh carrion by Coleoptera and their succession over time in relation to different stages of decomposition. Beetles were caught using unbaited pitfall traps containing antifreeze placed adjacent to 36 freshly euthanized pigs from 08/05/2012 until 06/08/2012. Traps were emptied every 48 hrs and beetles were removed and stored in 90% Industrial Methylated Spirits. In 2017, trap catches from three pigs chosen at random for each capture date were counted and identified. Over 3,500 beetles from eight families, mainly Staphylinidae, were examined, including three species of Silphidae of which Thanatophilus rugosus was the most abundant species, particularly during the early decomposition stage. Beetles arrived throughout the decomposition process, and were most abundant at early and late decomposition, although they continued to arrive into the first phase of skeletonization. Further research will process additional samples in order to examine the succession of different beetle families and the most abundant species, particularly larger staphylinids.

Does the extractive industry contribute to the presence of thermophilic wild bee species? Lucyna Twerd; Kazimierz Wielki University, Poland Environments degraded by the sand and gravel aggregate extractive industry are examples of secondary substitute habitats that play a significant role in shaping the diversity of their surrounding areas. In this paper, the presence of thermophilic bee species from the point of view of their ecology and environmental protection is pg. 60

assessed. The research was carried out in 2015 and 2016 in 20 used and inactive sand quarries, found in north-eastern Poland. It was shown that an increase in the degree of sand quarries xerisation favors the presence of thermophilic species. Among the 24 thermophilic bee species, 5 of them (accounting for 15%), namely Amegilla quadrifasciata (CR category), Colletes nasutus, Andrena assimilis, Andrena nasuta, and Megachile pilidens (VU category) are on the Polish Red Data Book of Animals. The research results suggest that abandoned sand quarries present an interesting natural value that deserves deeper exploration and protection, both on the local and regional levels. Appropriate management of such transformed habitats may have a positive impact on increasing the biodiversity of selected areas.

STUDENT PRESENTER Phylogeographic Analysis of the Marsh Fritillary Rebecca Whitla, Davis M.L., Dallimore T., Ashton P.; Edge Hill University, UK Phylogeography is the science of determining historical dispersal routes based upon patterns of genetic similarity. While a considerable about of phylogeographic information describing genetic relationships influenced by post glacial migration exists for large fauna and flora, invertebrates are less well studied. The Marsh Fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia Rottemburg 1775) is a small, charismatic brightly coloured butterfly with a Palearctic distribution. It is declining across much of Europe, primarily due to changing land use. Its widespread nature make it a suitable species to address this absence of invertebrate information. A number of extant populations of E. aurinia were sampled across Britain and Ireland for phylogeographic analysis using mitochondrial (COI LCO/HCO, HypJerry/Pat, Cyt B) and nuclear (MDH, CAD, IDH, wg) DNA sequences were analysed (up to 4582 base pairs total). These markers are chosen because they mutate relatively slowly and so provide suitable insights into geographic relationships. Utilisation of both mitochondrial and nuclear markers enables identification of female dispersal patterns. Additional specimens from western Europe were included in this study, from the GenBank database. This allows European patterns of dispersal to be understood.

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Postgraduate Study at Edge Hill University MSc Conservation Management - Undertake over 25 days of fieldwork including a residential course and carry out a 20 day work placement in a conservation organisation or ecological consultancy; - Gain an in-depth understanding of biodiversity and its management through key ecological theory; - Develop significant skills to identify plants and invertebrates through field and laboratory investigations.

UCAS Code:

P035881

Start Dates:

September 2018, September 2019

Course Length:

1 Year Full-Time, 2 Years Part-Time

Masters by Research (MRes) Biology - Develop knowledge and research skills that are essential for a research career; - Receive substantial training in research approaches; - In-depth research on a topic developed with your supervisor including invertebrate ecology, entomology and arachnology.

UCAS Code:

P060495

Start Dates:

October 2018, October 2019

Course Length:

1 Year Full-Time, 18 Months Part-Time

For course enquiries, please contact the Course Information, Advice and Guidance Team on 01695 657000 or email study@edgehill.ac.uk.

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13 16

Graduates Court

HALLS OF RESIDENCE

2723

103

Campus Map

F G H I J

Lady Margaret

John Dalton

Stanley

Clough

5 6

K L M N O

G G

21 20

Margaret Bain

EM Butterworth

Katherine Fletcher

Lady Openshaw

Eleanor Rathbone

1 1

2022

O O

Entrance 2 2 Entrance

4 I 12

M L

1819

a 16 9 6

L 11 K K

12 6

Forest Court

11 8

Entrance 3 3 Entrance

F F

24 26

G5 - H5

Entrance 1 1 Entrance

The Sports Centre

The Arts Centre

Tech Hub

Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Union

The Hub

Student Administration

Sport and Physical Activity Building (Wilson Centre)

Security and Customer Information Centre

Main Reception

Performing Arts

Old Gym

Medical School

Lodge

Law and Psychology

Laurels

Hargrave

Health and Wellbeing Centre, Milton House

GeoSciences

Faculty of Health and Social Care

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C6 (Guest Accommodation)

R Hollies

P Palatine Court Q Woodland Court

Faculty of Education (Professional Learning)

Faculty of Education (Piazza)

Faculty of Education (Lakeside)

Durning Centre

Creative Edge

Catalyst

Business School

BioSciences

BUILDING LOCATIONS

26 19 4 2 3 14 5 24

27 20 7 25 8 18 6 1

15 16 22 23 21 10 11 17 9 12 13