The virtual workshop on Entomovectoring was organised in twenty review presentations, with associated discussions over the workshop period of three days (3-4-5 November 2021), covering fundamental, applied, and forward-looking aspects concerning entomovectoring. The event has been possible thanks to the Maupertuis Grant 202, awarded for organising a workshop on Entomovectoring and administered by the University of Eastern Finland.
The workshop gave place to numerous new and exciting ideas to enhance using insects to deliver beneficial organisms, substances or devices (e.g., electrostatic enhancement, advances in formulation, multiagent applications, robotics and cyborg insects). Interestly, a case concerning ecological dangers was highlighted when exotic insects have been used either for pollination or for entomovectoring: spread of devastating pollinator diseases following commercial use of exotic pollinators. Best known case from South-America was reviewed based on popularizing sources.
As an outcome from the workshop, the organizers have commissioned a review article concerning biological invasions by pollinators, their parasites, and mechanisms by leading world experts on the topic. The article will be open access.
Further outcomes include the signing of a book contract with CABI, to publish the reviews presented at our workshop, with some additional chapters, as a book within about one year after the workshop (2022).
In addition, a contract to publish a book series on “Ecostacking” by CABI was also signed. The Entomovectoring book will be part of that series (second book in the series).
Limitations to successful use were presented and discussed including hive health, environmental contaminants such as pesticides, difficulties to steer insects to the desired targets, and possible environmental impacts. It was presented that the Virtual Special Issue (VSI) in the Springer Journal Arthropod-Plant-Interactions was a necessary step in preparing the forming of the present workshop.
The workshop includes the presentation of a "entomovectoring podcast" by four students from Otaniemen Lukio, which unforturnately was not possible to play during the event. The podcast is now available, and can be accessed at this link.