12. Event title:
NEW*** The Good, the Bad and the Bugly
13. Description of the core message of your event and key topics to be covered (c.100 words):
The event will introduce the concept of biodiversity using examples from the invertebrate world. Using live specimens and interactive tools (e.g. desktop/usb digital microscopes), the event will also introduce the concept of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ biodiversity (e.g. invertebrates that benefit us by providing important ‘ecosystem services’ such as pollination and waste disposal vs those that are detrimental to us, i.e. pests). Finally, the event will also cover how we can use ‘good’ biodiversity in the fight against ‘bad’, for example by pitching predatory mites against pests or developing novel pesticides from plants and fungi.
16. How does your event relate to this year's theme of 'Making waves'?:
Modern pest management by novel means, such as the exploitation of biodiversity (predators and natural products), relies heavily on new discoveries and research. This will become increasingly important in the future as standard pest control by synthetic chemicals is becoming ever more difficult to achieve. Understanding how we can manipulate our biodiversity - good and bad - to our advantage is therefore critical to present and future pest control. Achieving this aim successfully will benefit human health/wellbeing both directly (e.g. treatment of scabies, head-lice and bed-bugs) and indirectly (e.g. control of pests of agricultural and veterinary significance that affect our food supply/security and companion animals).
