🌍 Did you know BopCo is part of the METROFOOD.BE service network? Supported by BELSPO, METROFOOD.BE is the Belgian node of METROFOOD-RI, a European research infrastructure supporting food quality, safety, authenticity and traceability across the agri-food chain.

🌳 From wood identification to molecular forensics! We welcomed a group of botany students from ULB to speciesID for a workshop combining wood identification and molecular biology, showing how lab work complements botanical identification in the field.

🍲 Roots and Recipes was part of European Researchers' Night, Europe's largest celebration of science and research! Over two days, visitors explored food through science, culture & hands-on experiences — with African food traditions taking center stage.

🚀 A new project begins, focussing on the Asian bush mosquito!

🌍 BopCo is at #Neobiota2026 in Brussels (7–11 Sept)! We're presenting 4 posters on species ID, invasive arachnids, and DNA barcoding for fruit fly surveillance. Posters stay online until March 2027 — links in thread 🧵

🧬 BopCo is at the European Conservation Genetics meeting! We are learning more about how genetic data can guide conservation in a rapidly changing world, and how these data can be translated into decisions. @consgenmeeting2026.bsky.social #ConsGenMeeting2026

🦟 Do you have to travel to get malaria in Belgium? Not always! When we think of malaria in Belgium, we usually associate it with travel to tropical regions. However, in rare cases, people from temperate regions can contract malaria without ever leaving their country. 🤔 Read more 👇

🎉 New paper out! We report the first documented co-infection of Raillietiella orientalis and Kalicephalus sp. in a wild-caught red-tailed green rat snake (Gonyosoma oxycephalum). 📄 Sapion-Miranda et al.: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... Learn more 👇

🔬 Inspiring the next generation of scientists! This week, we had the pleasure of welcoming two primary school students for an immersive work-experience day to discover the fascinating world of biological research. Read more 👇

A great day at the AfricaMuseum in Tervuren! We were delighted to welcome a delegation from DG Environment Directorate F (Green Diplomacy & Multilateralism) of the @ec.europa.eu to showcase the work of speciesID.be, Belgium's centre of excellence for species identification.

🦠 Monitoring bird flu (BE) Avian influenza, is a contagious viral disease that primarily affects birds, especially waterfowl like ducks, geese, and swans. Avian flu is highly contagious among birds and can spread through: droppings, respiratory secretions or even contaminated water, soil, or feed.

🌍 Illegal wildlife trade knows no borders — and neither does collaboration. BopCo presented the results of INTERCEPT (Monitoring the trade in exotic animals, wild meat and the pathogens they carry in Belgium) at the 50th meeting of the Wildlife Trade Enforcement Group, hosted by Europol (NL).

🌿 At the 10th Biodiversity Spring Market organized by the Belgian Biodiversity Platform, the spotlight was on “Business & Biodiversity” — a theme that highlights the role of companies in shaping a more sustainable future. This event was hosted at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences.

📣 speciesID.be awarded with a Seal of Excellence! We are proud to announce that speciesID.be has officially been recognised by @belspo.be as a Centre of Excellence for the ‘Identification and Molecular Analysis of Species and Tissues of Policy Concern’. 🔬 What is speciesID.be? 🧵👇

speciesID.be

speciesID.be is a consortium of research centers specialized in the identification of biological samples through advanced morphological and molecular methods

speciesid.be

🐦‍🔥 Meet the Tragopan: one of the Himalayas’ most spectacular birds Often called “horned pheasants”, these stunning birds display inflatable orange or blue horns during their elaborate courtship displays. Sadly, several Tragopan species are under growing pressure from habitat loss and hunting. 🧵👇

📢 Spotlight on a silent agricultural threat: the Oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis) While hornets and beetles often steal the spotlight, the Oriental fruit fly is quietly spreading worldwide. Bactrocera dorsalis may be small, but it’s a powerful pest attacking many fruit and vegetable crops.

Interesting findings! At BopCo, we did a similar study using DNA analysis to investigate seafood mislabeling in Belgian supermarkets. 🐟🐚🦑🍣🦐 Stay tuned for our findings. Hopefully published later this year.

Oceana in Europe@oceanaeurope.bsky.social · 9mo ago

10 years after we first exposed seafood mislabelling in Brussels, the situation isn't better. Our DNA analysis shows that still today, not a single restaurant analysed in the city could name the squid species they serve.🦑 ➡️ europe.oceana.org/wp-content/u...

We are looking forward to presenting @bopco-be.bsky.social at the next iBOL Europe Community meeting on 26 January. Free to join! ℹ️ iboleurope.org/community-me...

iBOL Europe@iboleurope.bsky.social · 10mo ago

The first community meeting of the year will happen on 26 January! We'll be joined by Amber Hartman Scholz (Leibniz-Institut DSMZ), who will discuss the BBNJ Treaty, including Marine Genetic Resources & the requirements for fair & equitable sharing of benefits. iboleurope.org/community-me...

🚨 Hidden viruses in the wild meat trade? BopCo contributed to a metagenomic study led by the University of Antwerp and the University of Kisangani (DRC), uncovering surprising viral diversity in the wild meat supply chain. 📄 Read the full paper by Geraerts et al.: doi.org/10.1371/jour...

🎄 The BopCo team wishes you happy holidays and an inspiring 2026! As the year comes to a close, it’s time to look back on an exciting and productive 2025 for BopCo. BopCo's 2025 in numbers 🧵👇

This month, the AfricaMuseum had the pleasure of welcoming students from Howest University of Applied Sciences, as well as from Ghent University and KU Leuven! Bioinformatics and Laboratory Science Lab: www.linkedin.com/company/bioi...

🔬 First Record of Short-Tailed Whipscorpions in Belgium!🦂 Stenochrus portoricensis, a species of short-tailed whipscorpion native to Central America, was discovered in a glasshous of the Meise Botanic Garden. Despite its name, it is not a true scorpion but belongs to the arachnid order Schizomida.

🦟 Reshaping our understanding of the urban, human-biting mosquito! A team from Princeton University has revealed that Culex pipiens form molestus — thought to have evolved recently in cities — actually originated over 1,000 years ago in agricultural societies of the Mediterranean or Middle East.

Sand flies may be tiny, but their impact on global public health is significant. In Nepal, species within the Phlebotomus argentipes complex are recognized as the primary vectors of Leishmania, the parasite responsible for leishmaniasis.

🔎 BopCo featured in: “Douaniers : à la frontière du risque”! We’re proud to appear in this documentary, filmed at Brussels Airport and available on RTL Play. The episodes highlight the work of customs officers — and how scientific collaboration helps protect biodiversity and public health.

Douaniers : à la frontière du risque - Saison 1 - en replay sur RTL play: rediffusion gratuite en streaming

Plongez dans l'action avec les douaniers belges ! Contrôles à l'aéroport, saisies d'armes et de stupéfiants... Découvrez leur quotidien à haut risque aux frontières de la Belgique.

rtlplay.be

🎉 Happy 10th Birthday to BopCo! 🎉 November 2025 marks 10 years of BopCo, the Belspo funded DNA Identification Service at RBINS & RMCA — and what a journey it’s been!

🐟 Fast DNA testing to protect the future of European eels The lucrative trade of glass eels continues to raise serious concerns across Europe. While the European eel is critically endangered and protected under CITES regulations, illegal trafficking persists due to high demand, especially in Asia.

We have published a new special issue on invasions in aquatic systems, which stemmed from @neobiota.bsky.social's 2024 conference in Lisbon. 🌊🇵🇹 🔗 Read all about it on the @pensoft.net blog: blog.pensoft.net/2025/10/10/n...

New NeoBiota special issue explores invasions in aquatic systems

Following the 2024 NEOBIOTA conference on biological invasions, a new special issue of NeoBiota has been released, exploring invasions in aquatic systems.

blog.pensoft.net

🦟 Mosquitoes on the move: what’s at stake for Belgium? As Europe grapples with the rising threat of mosquito-borne diseases, this latest review paper takes a closer look at the growing risks right here in Belgium. www.kaowarsom.be/documents/PD... 🧵👇

Belgium is home to several breeders of CITES-listed birds such as parrots and birds of prey. Some of these species are notoriously difficult to breed in captivity, which has led to illegal practices in the past, such as the collection and raising of eggs or chicks taken from the wild. 🧵👇