Drs Brett Hurley and Michelle Schröder attended the 5^th International Symposium on Biological Control of Arthropods (ISBCA), held in Langkawi, Malaysia from 11-15 September. This meeting is held about every four years and draws researchers working in biological control systems from around the world. The meeting is normally kept relatively small, with no concurrent sessions, and provides opportunity for researchers from different systems, for example agriculture and forestry, to share ideas and learn new approaches.

The session topics included aspects of accidental introduction of biocontrol agents, pre- and post-release genetics, Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) policy, and successes and uptake of biocontrol in developing countries. Dr Brett Hurley also organised and co-chaired a session ‘Frontiers in Forest Insect Control’ which focused on some of the advances in biological control research on forest insect pests, and included presentations from five continents.

Presentations from FABI included:

Dr Brett Hurley – Investigating the complex gall community of Leptocybe invasa.

Dr Michelle Schröder – Biological control of the Gonipterus scutellatus species complex: testing the species, climatic and phonological mismatch hypotheses

In addition, a poster was submitted by Samantha Bush, titled ‘Host specificity testing of Psyllaephagus bliteus, an accepted biocontrol agent of Glycaspis brimblecombei, reveals a new host.

Samantha’s poster, which was from her MSc work, won the Best Poster Award – congratulations Samantha!