Phil Lester

I'm an academic working at Victoria University on ants, bees and wasps. A major focus of my group is with invasive species.

[Phil Lester @pjlester]

A novel antibody treatment reduces deformed wing virus loads in the western honey bee (Apis mellifera) | mSphere https://t.co/rUjY0ytS1r

[Phil Lester @pjlester]

RNA interference as a next‐generation control method for suppressing Varroa destructor reproduction in honey bee (Apis mellifera) hives - McGruddy - Pest Management Science - Wiley Online Library https://t.co/LnVpCYDA8W

[Apimondia @apimondia]

Happy #WorldBeeDay! 🐝🐝

[Otago Biochemistry @OtagoBiochemist]

Postdoc wanted in sunny Dunedin in the @peterkdearden Lab.
Help develop genetic solutions to the control of invasive eusocial wasps.
Skills in developmental biology and genetic transformation techniques preferred.
https://t.co/fYiaWva4NQ

[Jamie Morton @JamieMortonNZ]

I followed Massey’s planned sciences restructure closely after it was first flagged just before Covid hit three years ago. This time, Professor Dianne Brunton told me today, the plans are “much more brutal”. https://t.co/S6HV7QFLO4

[Australian Entomological Society @Aust_Ent_Soc]

Australia abandons efforts to eradicate deadly parasite varroa mite after 15 months https://t.co/gXo6wzHoT3

[Ecological Applications @ESAApplications]

New in @ESAApplications:

Gene drives for invasive wasp control: Extinction is unlikely, with suppression dependent on dispersal and growth rates

https://t.co/StNE0nPm88

With #OpenData in @figshare

#InvasiveSpeciesManagement
#CRISPR
#Vespula
@pjlester

[John Mackay @dnatured]

4th NZ Honeybee Research Symposium coming up 28th June. Abstracts and schedule now on-line - still time to hear the latest research going on in NZ. https://t.co/cE4peefp8K
Thanks to the great team @pjlester @ApicultureNZ Ashley @plantandfood and Claire/Evan @MPI_NZ

[Lynn Dicks @LynnDicks]

Insect decline can be expected to lead to songbird decline. Ecological research sometimes states the obvious, but this one's important, in the face of potentially large insect declines: the amount of available insect food limits songbird breeding success. https://t.co/73vUV7CKyo

[Biological Heritage @BioHeritageNZ]

In @NZEntoSoc NZ Bug of the Year you can uplift your favourite exoskeletoned, multilegged champion from the 24 nominees.

Learn more about the nominees here: https://t.co/hkvDwRNJjl

Voting opened now! Winner announced 14 Feb 2023.

[Myrmecological News @MyrmecolNews]

Please RT! Myrmecological News - Best Paper Award 2022: Follow the link for details and to vote for your favourite paper 2022! The prize for the authors: A waiver for Article Processing Charge (700 EUR) for one contribution to be used within 2 years’ time.
https://t.co/X9oTi2RV6H

[Ivan Lawrie @IvanLawrie_FAR]

To all maize and sweetcorn growers please be aware.

[Otago Biochemistry @OtagoBiochemist]

@peterkdearden :
"I think the way ahead is to stop worrying about how something was made, but worry about what it does."

[Ecological Applications @ESAApplications]

New in @ESAApplications:

Can immune #GeneSilencing via dsRNA feeding promote pathogenic viruses to control the globally invasive Argentine ant?

https://t.co/5ffe2XxWUq

W/ #OpenData in @datadryad & @ZENODO_ORG

#NextGenerationPestControl @AntoineFelden @DobelmannJana @pjlester

[Phil Lester @pjlester]

Antoine Felden on RNZ tonight talking about honey bee health and virus-virus interactions. A virus in parasitic varroa mites might be of benefit to bees https://t.co/YRNdn9CRl2 Work with @EmsyRemsy

[Phil Lester @pjlester]

Today we release my new book “Pests and Pestilence: the management of invasive species, pests and disease in New Zealand”, available at https://t.co/JoQxawVKir Lessons from the past, with future pest and disease management needs. Thanks @thwupbooks & @WellingtonUni

[GreenLight Biosciences @GreenLightBio1]

GreenLight COO Carole Cobb explains our mission to protect honeybees and feed the world in this film in collaboration with @BNPParibas

#AgeOfChange

https://t.co/gxyXBWG95n

[Phil Lester @pjlester]

The sponsors for the 3rd Honey Bee Research Symposium were awesome. A big vote of thanks to the sponsors: Ministry for Primary Industries @MPI_NZ @Apiculture_NZ @dnatured @plantandfood @WellingtonUni

[Phil Lester @pjlester]

Congratulations to Rose McGruddy from @WellingtonUni for winning the Best Student talk at the 3rd Honey Bee Research Symposium. Her talk was “The use of RNAi as a novel control method for varroa”. Amber Bell from @waikato & Damien Fèvre from @Otago were 2nd & 3rd. @Apiculture_NZ