Dr Joe Roberts

Exploring new genomic territories with emerging model insects Improvements in reference genome generation for insects and across the tree of life are extending the concept and utility of model organisms beyond tr…

Exploring new genomic territories with emerging model insects

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Thanks Robert!

A small update ahead of Christmas…

I was recently promoted to Reader in Integrated Pest Management at @harperadamsuni.bsky.social! Many thanks to all my colleagues, students, and collaborators who made this possible. Bring on 2025!

Have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year!

“One Health” needs ecology | PNAS “One Health” needs ecology

“One Health” needs ecology

www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Collecting organismal VOCs in #ChemicalEcology can be challenging due to the inherent variability of absorbents and methods. To help our community, here is a summary of all the possible biases 😅

Understanding your biases in collecting organismal VOCs

www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-5...

An ant pollinating buckwheat flowers.

The @royentsoc.bsky.social has just announced the winners of the new ECR awards for best papers in 2022 and 2023: the Agricultural and Forest Entomology award for 2022 goes to Kae Natsume for paper which shows how ants are underappreciated pollinators of crops www.royensoc.co.uk/res-journal-... 🧪

Plant chemical diversity enhances defense against herbivory

www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

#Entomology #SciComm #EntoPapers

Two sheep in a field overlaid with a schematic of a mathematical model

🚩PhD opportunity furthering sustainable control of gastrointestinal nematodes and anthelmintic resistance in sheep flocks through mathematical modelling with me at @bioss.bsky.social alongside Fi Kenyon, @adhayward.bsky.social (Moredun) and Rob Kelly (Edinburgh Uni). Please share! #parasitology

Last MSc module of the year - Insect Physiology! Students undertake their own mini projects culminating in presentations on Friday. Parasitism, predation, colour choice, geotaxis, olfactometry - we've got it all! #entomasters #entoeducation

Preparing the aphids ahead of @hau-entomology.bsky.social insect physiology and behaviour module next week!

Day 1 of the week-long @harperadamsuni.bsky.social postgraduate experimental design and analysis module today. Always an intensive week but good to meet students across course areas. New computer labs incoming thanks to efforts from @joe-roberts.bsky.social too! #rstats

IPM Guidance for UK Growers IPM crop specific guides: IPM specific guidance for Oilseed Rape in the UK IPM specific guidance for Pulses grown in the UK IPM specific guidance for Potatoes in the UK IPM specific guidance for Sugar...

Here is a list of IPM Guidance for UK Growers on FarmPep
linking to full content on H2020 IPMWorks toolbox. The guides were produced by ADAS with SRUC TheAHDB NFU and others during development of the IPM Tool
farmpep.net/resource/ipm...
#agextension #IPM #farming

Black insect on a green plant.

🌱 Silicon soil treatments help protect cowpeas from aphids! Our study shows it boosts Lutembwe variety's natural defenses. Exciting implications for sustainable farming in Zambia 🇿🇲

Full paper here: doi.org/10.1007/s118...

#AgriScience #FoodSecurity​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

We've now officially moved here as our main social media account! Thanks to those who have already made it, and we look forward to spreading the @harperadamsuni.bsky.social entomology word here from now on!

Find more of HAU's entomology group here: linktr.ee/hau_entomology

Deconstructing the IOBC tiered method: Are we overestimating the compatibility of pesticides and natural enemies? Accurately estimating the risk of sensitive populations subjected to toxicant disturbances is central to our ability to protect ecosystem services. Wh…

Deconstructing the IOBC tiered method: Are we overestimating the compatibility of pesticides and natural enemies?

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

#Entomology #IPM #Pesticides #NaturalEnemies

Pest Management Science Call for Papers Special issue: Harnessing Chemical Ecology for Improved Pest management. This special issue welcomes original research and review papers relating to all aspects of how chemical ecology can be used to address crop security challenges, including the following suggested topics:

Just over one month left to submit to our Special Issue in Pest Management Science: "Harnessing Chemical Ecology for Improved Pest Management" 🪲🌿

Deadline: December 31, 2024

📖 Learn more and submit here:

scijournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/hub/journal/...

Please share!

Job Opportunity at Harper Adams University: Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership (MIBTP) PhD Apply here for a Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership (MIBTP) PhD at Harper Adams University. Please see https://www.harper-adams.ac.uk/research/598/possible-funded-mibtp-projects for...

Two PhD projects advertised for #MIBTP with me and the team @hau-entomology.bsky.social

Details in reply below! Sharing and reposts are appreciated.

Apply here, by 16th Jan 2025: jobs.harper-adams.ac.uk/vacancy.aspx...

Insect biotremology—An introduction Biotremology refers to animal communication via vibrational signals, widely used by insects to communicate with conspecifics. From an applied perspective, there is growing interest in using vibration....

Insect biotremology—An introduction

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

#Entomology #Insects

We’re delighted to share our latest preprint from the Hogenhout lab (@saskiahogenhout.bsky.social) on the molecular mechanisms on plant-aphid interactions. Here we show how the aphid Mp10 effector protein acts as a local anaesthetic to suppress the plant perception of aphid attack

I <3 Ecology Supplies! You should follow them! It has been rough losing bioquip but the aesthetic and energy behind ecology supplies is an excellent replacement/upgrade!

Fully-funded PhD position with Gareth Thomas @rothamsted.bsky.social and myself on entomopathogenic fungi and pest-host-parasitoid interactions 🌽

DEADLINE 11 December

Apply here 👉

www.swbio.ac.uk/programme/ho...

Snow overnight has made it feel a bit more winter-like at Harper Adams University this morning!

Looks like everyone is here now then…

We have a colony in the lab on field bean - what type of footage do you want?

"Unlock Nature's Potential" Join @drjohnphreade.bsky.social, @ipmtom.bsky.social, @randybenjamin.bsky.social and me for a funded #PhD at HAU!

Optimise plant essential oil biopesticides for integrated pest management.

More info: warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fa...

#Sustainability #AgTech #EcoFriendly

Footprints of predatory lady beetles stimulate increased dispersal of aphid prey, but do not alter feeding behavior or spread of a non-persistently transmitted plant virus

doi.org/10.1016/j.fo...

First post on BlueSky. I am the Head of the Agriculture and Environment Department at Harper Adams University. My interests include GiS, Food Production & Security, Agri-environment and Agricultural Higher Education and Training, including a focus on Sub-saharan agriculture and land use.

But why are they so strong?!

New feed for anyone involved in ecosystem services etc. Will pick up any terms and hashtags related to ecosystem services, disservices, NCP, natural capital bsky.app/profile/did:...

A question for entomologists who take macro photos, what has been your experience of using the Laowa ultra-macro: www.venuslens.net/product/laow...? Interested in getting this lens for some of our smaller species. #entomology #macro #photography