Tessa Hiscox: Safeguarding bees safeguards biodiversity
Pollinating insects play a central role in the climate and biodiversity emergencies. Bees are vital to sustainable food production and the economy due to their function in agriculture and ecology. Pollination and products made by honeybees also supply Aotearoa with $5.1 billion annually, providing revenue for beekeepers and nutritious or medicinal commodities for consumers. Bees also hold a social utility. A vibrant pollinator ecosystem is essential to humanity, and its vulnerabilities are primarily of our making. I will share the work I have completed for my PhD in Microbiology, while discussing the risks that industrial chemicals have on both honeybees and the range of native bees here in Aotearoa.
Mel Barnett: Supplementary motoloures to assist pest control at Kaitorete Spit, Banks Peninsula
In early 2022, Pest Free Banks Pensinsula began setting up a large network of traps at the western end of Kaitorete Spit targeting a wide variety of pests in the area including hedgehogs, rats, mustelids, possums and feral cats. Mel’s research aimed to see if the use of external automated lure dispensers (ZIP Motolures) to supplement various ground-based traps (kill traps and live traps) would increase capture rates in the area. Come and hear how she undertook her fieldwork and the challenges she faced along the way.
Supper and a chat afterwards.