Dear friends and colleagues, Happy New Year! 2019 is here at last!!
It is already January and soon we have to go back to work ☹ But it is a good time to talk about the events of the past year and plans for the future 😊
2018 was a busy year for many of us. The laboratory I work in studies bark and ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and the fungi associated with them. Many of these little beasts are responsible for damaging trees and forests all over the world. We wanted to develop a communications network in Asia so that we could help and share our expertise. This was because the beetles are moving around in this region and we have seen lots of examples where one insect invades a nearby country and causes lots of damage to the local wildlife. Our communications network aims to help researchers reduce the threat of these invaders. Our hope is that this network will allow local experts to communicate directly with each other. We can also learn from each other and share skills and experiences. Not just about bark beetles, but other associated threats to forests and trees.
Early in 2018 we managed to secure funding for the project. We developed an initial website, created a linkedin group, and set up other social media accounts in other countries such as WeChat in China. One of our aims was to help identify pests earlier as timing is critical once a new pest arrives. We have created videos showing how to collect a pest, the benefits of collaboration, how to take pest pictures, and advice on identification. We also gave out free beetle collecting kits so anyone can collect beetles in their region. A lot of the time people are catching beetles and not knowing if they have a pest or a harmless insect.
After the website and the videos were created, we also started attending conferences in Asia and meeting with professionals. Our network is made up of experts who know all about their local forests, climates, and insects. We want to keep adding more experts, so we all share their knowledge.
2019 will be an even busier year but I am sure it will be a successful one. We have plans to develop a new website that looks much prettier and will be faster. Also, our Wechat group in China will soon be an official account which will help us share more information easily. These developments can provide opportunities for all of us in the new year. Some of the things we would like your help with are:
- Sharing news from your region – If you have a paper or article (in any language) that is about pests in your local region then we are happy to help promote it. This includes sharing the abstract with the wider network so other researchers can read it
- Looking for collaborators – New pests and diseases needs researching! This group has local experts and it is a great place to advertise opportunities for collaboration.
- Identifying beetles – Soon the weather will be warmer and we can start catching insects! We can offer beetle collecting kits as well as free beetle identification service. Just send me an email and I will arrange to get the kits posted to you (sending in early February)
- Grow the network – Invite your friends and colleagues. The more people who join, the stronger we will become
Thank you to everyone who has helped make 2018 a successful year. 2019 is going to be even better!
-Simon