Insect scientists battle invasive species in Hawaii

Hundreds of entomologists will meet at the Hilton Waikoloa Village March 27-30, 2011 to present research on "Invasive Species of the Pacific Region," the theme of this year's Annual Meeting of the Pacific Branch of the Entomological Society of America (ESA).

Each year, invasive species such as the coffee berry borer (see http://tinyurl.com/4nplzgy) cause millions of dollars of damage to Hawaiian crops. Members of the media are invited to attend the following symposia to learn more about:

•Hawaiian Insect Diversity: Evolutionary Biology Meets Conservation Management
•Prevention, Containment and Management of Invasive Ornamental Pests
•Major Pests in Minor Crops: Challenges and Strategies in Specialty Crops
•Population Perspectives in Insect Ecology: Models & Data
•What's New in Industry
•Monitoring and Management of the Spotted Wing Drosophila in Cherries and Berries
•Urban Pest Management: Foundations and Frontiers
•Our Contributions: How Graduate Student Research Is Improving Integrated Pest Management
•The Increasing Frequency of Tephritid Outbreaks in California: What Is Going on?
•Integrated Management Strategies for Alien Predators in Conservation Lands of the Pacific
•Lessons Learned with New Teaching and Research Experiences for Undergrads: What Worked and What Didn't
•New approaches assessing biological weed control agents pre- and post-release to meet changing regulatory requirements
•Invasive Species in the International Arena

Among the insects that will be discussed are the ambrosia beetle, leafroller moths, chilli thrips, whiteflies, subterranean termites, drywood termites, ants, carabid beetles, bed bugs, wasps, fruit flies, and many more.

In addition, coffee growers and producers are invited to attend a symposium on the coffee berry borer, the most important insect pest on coffee worldwide (http://tinyurl.com/4nplzgy).

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The Entomological Society of America (ESA) is the largest organization in the world dedicated to the science, magic, and mystery of the world's most abundant life form -- insects. With more than 6,000 active members, the ESA helps to promote understanding of insects and solve world problems associated with them, including world hunger, disease prevention, and urban pest control. ESA is a 501c(3) not-for-profit membership society headquartered in Lanham, MD.

For more information or for a press pass, contact Robert Hollingsworth at Robert.Hollingsworth@ARS.USDA.GOV or (808) 959-4349.

For more information about the ESA Pacific Branch meeting, visit http://entsoc.org/Pacific/meetings/archives/2011.