International seminar Vespa asiática (V. Velutina nigrithorax): an exotic predator in Europe. What does the future hold?

International seminar
Vespa asiática (V. Velutina nigrithorax): an exotic predator in Europe. What does the future hold?

Xesús Feás was recently the chairman involved in the organisation of  an international seminar on the Vespa velutina held at Terra Campus, the University of Santiago de Compostela, in the city of Lugo on the 1st and 2nd of  September 2016. The seminar was entitled: Vespa asiática (V. Velutina nigrithorax): an exotic predator in Europe. What does the future hold?
 

More knowledge of the ecology and behaviour of this invasive pest is essential to provide an effective management program for its control. The seminar brought together awareness about the species, as well as the different experiences of combating the pest in other countries, in order to find possible methods to control its expansion and to mitigate the negative effects in the beekeeping sector and in the environmental field as a whole.

 
The seminar was aimed as a meeting point of scientific dissemination and mutual learning, bringing together: beekeepers, scientists and public administrators. The Seminar offered a great opportunity to share activity developed by beekeepers and administrators, and to exchange views on the research that is carried out against Vespa velutina. It enabled scientists, technicians and beekeepers to combine, unite and communicate findings, sharing information on past experiences and new activities being developed. All this, with the common objective of deepening the knowledge of Vespa velutina and its effects and trying to give answers and solutions to the problem and threat of its extension in Europe.
 
Workshops were held with researchers, beekeepers and public administration to exchange common actions to combat the Vespa velutina, as well as territorial workshops based on the origin of the participants (Portugal, France, Spain and Italy).
 
The EU has called for extensive research and dissemination of scientific knowledge on everything related to beekeeping to generate a general consensus and share appropriate knowledge. Xesús believes this strategy is important going forward allowing adequate dissemination and socialization of scientific results and fostering relationships between scientists and beekeepers alike. The international seminar was a success and the overall spirit was that of a joint projection to unite in the fight against Vespa velutina giving open and honest discussions of the current situation.
 
Xesús Feás

Like our Facebook page to help STOP the spread