The Vulgar Wasp: The story of a ruthless invader and ingenious predator
In this book, entomologist Phil Lester describes the many fascinating and lesser-known sides of the common wasp. He asks: how can we manage wasps? Can…
Biosecurity - Control
Once pests have become established, how can we best control or eradicate them?
Publication
Publication
Thesis: Detection and prevention: Improving techniques to manage Phytophthora agathidicida, the causal agent of kauri dieback
Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) have been published as molecular detection techniques for P. agathidicida; however, they are not yet…
Publication
Viral and fungal pathogens associated with Pneumolaelaps niutirani (Acari: Laelapidae): a mite found in diseased nests of Vespula wasps
Introduced social wasps (Vespula spp.) are a pest in many parts of the world. Recently, a mite species (Pneumolaelaps niutirani) was described and associated with disease…
Publication
Public Opinion Towards Gene Drive as a Pest Control Approach for Biodiversity Conservation and the Association of Underlying Worldviews
Synthetic gene drive approaches are nascent technologies with potential applicability for pest control for conservation purposes. Responsible science mandates that society be engaged in a…
Report
Collective action to eradicate rats and mustelids from a large, peopled landscape: A social-ecological approach
The control or eradication of introduced mammalian predators is one of the most urgent tasks for conserving native wildlife in Aotearoa New Zealand (Elliot et…
Report
A review of environmental values for New Zealand biosecurity risk assessment
Biosecurity refers to keeping the environment free of unwanted organisms and controlling, managing or eradicating them should they arrive in the country. The New Zealand…
Policy Briefing
BRIEF: Unlocking collective wisdom
Shared learning with Te Taiao Collectives Network Across Aotearoa New Zealand, collectives of community groups, iwi, hapū, councils, and others are joining forces to protect…
Report
Literature review of risk assessment and decision making frameworks
The research programme “He Tangata, He Taiao, He Ōhanga (Strategic Outcome 3, New Zealand’s Biological Heritage National Science Challenge) aims to incorporate information from a…
Summary
BRIEF: TrapSim Plus
Supporting informed decision-making in community predator control planning Predator control groups face the challenge of having to choose which control methods and efforts to use,…
Webinar
Database architecture, process, and pathways
Wananga 3: Database architecture, process, and pathways Te Tiriti-guided national DNA reference library wānanga series Facilitators: Dr David Medyckyj-Scott (Manaaki Whenua) & Nick Spencer…
Publication
THESIS: Novel biotechnological controls for social wasp eradication: Exploring religious and spiritual Māori perceptions using a Q-Method and kaupapa Māori methodology
This thesis explores the perceptions religious and/or spiritual Māori have about five biotechnological controls proposed for the eradication of the Vespula germanica (German) and Vespula vulgaris (common) wasp-species in…
Publication
Tohora rāo ko Kauri
Tohora rāo ko Kauri – he pukapuka tēnei e kōrero ana mō te hononga i waenga i te tohorā me te kauri. Anei ngā kōrero…
Webinar
Crazy & Ambitious 4 – 2024
A playlist of presentations given at New Zealand’s Biological Heritage Science Challenge conference, Crazy & Ambitious 3. 24 – 27 May 2022, at Te Papa,…
Media
PhD students for University of Otago Josh Gilligan and Gemma McLaughlin talk about their fight against one of New Zealand’s smallest pests.
Sting-riddled students are removing wasp nests in Dunedin for free to further their research to stop the invasive pests costing the economy more than $130million…
Media
Pests invaluable research material
Not many people welcome the discovery of wasp nests, but they are providing invaluable research material for two Dunedin students. University of Otago genetics PhD…
Report
The use of AI (artificial intelligence) in New Zealand for the sorting of images and classification of animal pest species
This report has been commissioned by the Biological Heritage Challenge to review the current development and use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for sorting and classifying…
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