FVISS 2023 AGM NOTICE

Posted Date: October 30, 2023

Tags: Meetings

Join us online on zoom for the 2023 FVISS AGM!

With the tempertures dropping, another busy season is wrapping up - Join us for a recap of the year, a financial update and the Board of Directors election.

We are seeking new Directors for the FVISS Board!

Do you share our mandate and goals? Do you want to help guide our organization? Are there ideas you think the FVISS should work towards? We want to know!

If you are interested in joining the FVISS Board of Directors, please check out our Nominations page and join us!

Date: Thursday, November 16th, 2023

Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Location: Virtual via Zoom

Registration is required. Please fill out the Zoom registration form to receive the call-in details. All member voting will also be done through Zoom.

- - - Event has passed. See below for recording and minutes - - -

Agenda (draft Oct 30th)

Start time – 10:00 am

10:00 am	Welcome, Introductions, Adopt Agenda, Accept 2022 Minutes
10:05 am	Report from the Chair (Victoria Brookes, FVISS Chair)
10:10 am	Presentation of Financial Statement (Nichole Marples, FVISS Treasurer)
10:25 am	2023 Season Update (Kathy Ma Green, FVISS Executive Director)
10:45 am	Outreach Program Updates (Michelle Lefebvre, FVISS Invasive Outreach Coordinator)
10:55 am	5-Minute Break

11:00 am	What You Need to Know About the Invasive Strawberry Blossom Weevil, Anthonomus rubi (Aysha McConkey, Research Assistant (Biological Control of Insect Pests) - Co-op Student, AAFC Agassiz)
11:15 am	The Use of Biological Control in a Comprehensive Japanese Beetle Eradication Plan in British Columbia (Victoria (Vika) Makovetski, Research Assistant (Biological Control of Insect Pests) - Co-op Student, AAFC Agassiz)
11:30 am	Election of Board of Directors
11:45 am	New Business/Announcements from Members
11: 55 am	Thank you and Closing

Adjournment – 12:00 pm

Presentations & Speaker Bios

What You Need to Know About the Invasive Strawberry Blossom Weevil, Anthonomus rubi

Strawberry Blossom weevil (Anthonomus rubi) is an invasive insect pest that was first detected in British Columbia (BC), Canada, in 2019 in a patch of backyard raspberries (Rubus idaeus). It subsequently has been found to be established throughout the Fraser Valley of BC and north west Washington State. Strawberry blossom weevil is native to Europe, Asia, and parts of North Africa, where it is a known pest of strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa), raspberry (Rubus idaeus), and rose. The female adult weevil lays her eggs inside of developing flower buds and clips the stem below. The larvae then hatches and feeds and develops inside of the damaged bud. In this presentation, I will discuss how to identify this weevil, describe its biology, and explore its host plant use, including the non-crop host Shrubby Cinquefoil (Dasiphora fruticose).

Presenter: Aysha McConkey

Aysha Mcconkey works as a student Research Assistant at the Agassiz Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-foods Canada in the Small Fruit Entomology lab with Dr. Michelle Franklin. Aysha is also a full-time fourth year undergraduate student at the University of the Fraser Valley, where she is specializing in the Environmental Studies Natural Sciences program. She has assisted in research projects with focus on strawberry blossom weevil over the past two years. In addition, Aysha is also a BC Bat Ambassador for Abbotsford and Chilliwack, where she leads and conducts the colony counts of bats in the Fraser Valley and assists with research on white nose syndrome.

The Use of Biological Control in a Comprehensive Japanese Beetle Eradication Plan in British Columbia

The Japanese beetle, a century-old invasive pest in North America, was first detected in British Columbia in 2017. Eradication efforts in Metro Vancouver involve using insecticides on larvae, pheromone traps for adults, and restricting plant and soil movement. Istocheta aldrichi, a parasitoid fly, was tested to control the beetles. In summer 2023, 801 flies were released in the Greater Metro Vancouver Area, resulting in parasitized beetles found near the release zones. Ongoing work will refine fly rearing and release methods and study the combined impact of control techniques on the beetle population.

Presenter: Victoria (Vika) Makovetski

Vika is a fourth-year university student with a strong foundation in biology and a passion for ecological research. Enthusiastic about ecology, entomology, and the development of sustainable solutions for addressing invasive species. Committed to contributing to the field of biological control and making a positive impact on ecosystem conservation.