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Phil Lester

@pjlester.bsky.social

I study social insects and their pathogens and parasites, developing targeted biological approaches to improve honey bee health and suppress invasive wasps, hornets, and other damaging pests.

8 Posts189 Follower32 Folgt
Anthony Ricciardi@ecoinvasions.bsky.social · last mo.

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

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

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

theconversation.com

Phil Lester@pjlester.bsky.social · 2mo ago

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

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

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

doi.org

Phil Lester@pjlester.bsky.social · 3mo ago

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

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

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

frontiersin.org

Phil Lester@pjlester.bsky.social · 3mo ago

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

Historic millipede outbreak sparks fresh research

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

rnz.co.nz

Entomological Society of America@entsocamerica.bsky.social · 3mo ago

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

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

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

entomologytoday.org

Entomological Society of America@entsocamerica.bsky.social · 3mo ago

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

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

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

entomologytoday.org

Phil Lester@pjlester.bsky.social · 4mo ago

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

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

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

rnz.co.nz

Phil Lester@pjlester.bsky.social · 2y ago

Recent advances and avenues for the pest management of invasive social wasps and hornets. A review of the progress and challenges in invasive vespid management. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Recent advances and avenues for the pest management of invasive social wasps and hornets

Invasive social wasps and hornets pose significant threats to biodiversity, ecosystem services, and animal and human health. This review evaluates rec…

sciencedirect.com

Jeff Shima@drjeffshima.bsky.social · 2y ago

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

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