Eavesdropping on mother nature
How can eavesdropping on insects help scientists develop eco-friendly ways of controlling them?
Find out at an upcoming presentation of the Governor General Lecture Series of the Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada (RSC). One of Canada’s foremost ecological entomologists, Dr. Jeremy McNeil, will discuss “Eavesdropping on Mother Nature: In Search of Alternatives to Synthetic Pesticides” on Sept. 19 at 8 p.m. in the University Centre Farquhar Auditorium.
The RSC (formerly the Royal Society of Canada) launched the country’s first national lecture series last year. The chosen lecturer delivers the same lecture at four different universities in Canada.
McNeil, the Helen Battle Professor in the biology department of the University of Western Ontario, studies the reproductive biology of migrating insects, as well as the interactions between insects, their natural enemies and plants. He investigates the role that naturally occurring chemicals in plants and insects play in interactions within and between different species.
In his presentation, McNeil will discuss how understanding the way insects muse about “what to eat,” “where to lay eggs,” and “with whom to mate” has led to the development of effective pest management without resorting to insecticides and their sometimes harmful side effects.
The lecture is free of charge, but advance reservations are required by calling the UVic Ticket Centre at 721-8480 or visiting www.auditorium.uvic.ca.
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