Fionna

The Big Field Experiment

Monday, 14 November 2022

Fionna

Pest management Project reports #IPMPopillia

Working in the field with the Swiss Alps in the background

In September 2021 we started the big field experiment in the Piedmont region, a highly infested zone. Giovanni Bosio from the plant health service of the Piedmont region found meadows which were not treated yet and with willing owners to let us do experiments with different biological control agents (BCA). We treated the meadows with 2 different st...

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Another Day in the Field

Tuesday, 15 March 2022

Fionna

Pest management Project reports #IPMPopillia

Vercelli - Football field

We need more larvae, a lot more larvae! That's our mission, our first in this year. This time we were headed to a field in Vercelli, Piedmont. While driving, the bus would shake and make weird noises when applying the brakes which is why we stopped a first time to inspect our tires and a second time at a mechanics to let him check properly. W...

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Frontiers in Insect Science launches Research Topic on Popillia

Friday, 25 February 2022

Fionna

Other

One of the world's leading open science platforms puts a focus on Japanese Beetle research! Frontiers has launched the research topic "Focus on Popillia japonica" in its Open Access Journal "Frontiers in Insect Science". The aim is to compile the latest findings in P. japonica research in one special issue, which will be a key resource of knowledge...

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A day in the field

Wednesday, 08 December 2021

Fionna

Other Project reports #IPMPopillia

Picture by Mathias Hess

To continue with experiments in the lab, we needed more Japanese beetle larvae, a lot more. So we decided to go on a field trip on the 7th of December 2021. It was the first train of the day which took me to Agroscope where we headed off to Mottalciata, Piedmont region. With two cars and seven people, we left freezing cold Switzerland in hop...

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Growth in a giant steel grub: Mass production of insecticidal nematodes

Tuesday, 23 November 2021

Fionna

Other Pest management #IPMPopillia

Growth in a giant steel grub: Mass production of insecticidal nematodes

Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) are naturally occurring in the environment and make their living by infecting, killing and propagating in insects. They can be used as biological control agents against Popillia japonica larvae. The mass production is done in artificial medium by the partner e-Nema. Here a short video on how this mass production wor...

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How to "breed" your own Japanese beetle

Monday, 16 August 2021

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Other

If you live in an unifested zone, but you still like to have a Japanese beetle, here is how you can create your very own Japanese beetle. What your Japanese beetle is made of, is absolutely up to you and your taste. Everything you need, you can find in your trusted supermarket. In the very early stages of an adult Japanese beetle, it has no w...

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Team Agroscope

Friday, 23 April 2021

Fionna

Other

Photo by Gabriela Brändle

Agroscope is the Swiss centre of excellence for agricultural research, with the overarching objectives to contribute to a competitive and sustainable agriculture and food sector as well as to an intact environment. Agroscope coordinates the project IPM-Popillia and leads the tasks 2.3 (ecology of biocontrol applications), 3.2 (entomopathogenic fung...

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