Vector-Borne RADAR

@sphaerularia @ZoologyMuseum @RHULBioSci Huge congratulations Mark!

Thank you! And what an honour to be appointed Director of the amazing @ZoologyMuseum Sad to leave @RHULBioSci after a wonderful 16.5 years, but very excited by this new challenge and amazing opportunity. I can’t wait to get started!

doi.org/10.2807/1560-7… New @VB_RADAR publication in @Eurosurveillanc , first detection of WNV RNA in the UK (in Aedes vexans mosquitoes). Big considerations for future biosecurity. Great collaboration with @APHAgovuk @_BTO @UKHSA @ZSLScience #onehealth #zoonoses

doi.org/10.1038/s41598… New @VB_RADAR publication @APHAgovuk, @ZSLScience, @UKHSA, USUV vertical transmission ID'd in wild Culex pipiens larvae - To our knowledge the 1st record of USUV VT in wild mosquitoes. Helps understand persistence in temperate areas! Great collaboration!

biorxiv.org/content/10.110… New preprint up detailing retrospective WNV RNA detection in UK Aedes vexans mosquitoes, as part of the @VB_RADAR project, collaboration between @APHAgovuk @_BTO @ZSLScience and @UKHSA

APHA scientists have identified evidence of #WestNileVirus in UK #mosquitoes for the first time. This important surveillance was carried out with partners as part of the @vb_radar project. Find out more: 👇 ukhsa-newsroom.prgloo.com/news/first-det… #APHAscience #VectorBorneDisease

🐦‍⬛Where have the blackbirds gone? London gardens have seen a decline in the songbird due to the mosquito-spread Usutu virus. Hear about our research as part of the @UKRI_News @DefraGovUK funded @VB_RADAR project & how you can help: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/fro… @The_RHS #APHAscience

Part 2..The Mosquito trap is a clever piece of kit @VB_RADAR @UKHSA @_BTO It has a fan, operated by a power pack. There is a flap at the top which sends the mozzi's into a catching bag. It also has a carbon dioxide generator and a Mosquito Lure which mimics skin scent.

It was day 1 today of our @kupe1515 Mosquito surveillance for @VB_RADAR in conjunction with @UKHSA and @_BTO We are collecting mosquitoes in our trap for research into mosquito borne diseases and how it affects our Blackbird population, wildlife & humans.

This World Zoonoses Day, read more about how the increasing threat of vector-borne diseases presents new challenges to protecting our biosecurity. aphascience.blog.gov.uk/2024/07/06/tac… #APHAscience #WorldZoonosesDay

Great collaborative work led by @MirjamSchilling involving @APHAgovuk , @UKHSA and @ZSLScience

Preprint+ @VB_RADAR 1st output alert: We enhanced mosquito surveillance by rearing field caught adults + larvae = We believe, first evidence of USUV transovarial transmission! Likely an essential persistence mechanism for the virus in temperate areas! biorxiv.org/content/10.110…

It's time to kick off #WildPoshInterviews! 🤩 @poshbee_eu project coordinator Mark Brown takes the stage first and tells us more about his work and the connection between the two projects. 👀 📽️Follow the link to watch the full interview: youtube.com/watch?v=6gZ61U…

🐦‍⬛🦟"#Blackbird numbers plummet in south of #England amid potential spread of #mosquito-borne #Usutu #virus, first detected in UK in 2020" @_BTO @APHAgovuk @ECDC_EU #OneHealth theguardian.com/environment/ar… via @guardian

Usutu is a mosquito-borne virus 1st detected in UK birds in 2020. It spread is by native UK mosquitoes and has been linked to blackbird declines in England. We also want to know if it's in Scotland. Help by - bto.org/our-science/pr… @_BTO @VB_RADAR theguardian.com/environment/ar…

If you have a garden, please sign up for our Blackbirds in Gardens survey! This trend graph shows the worrying decline of Blackbirds in the London area since the mid-1990's. Details on how to sign up for the survey can be found in the post below.

We need your help! Blackbirds are being threatened by the Usutu virus, so we’ve launched a new survey to understand the likely risk factors & how to mitigate them. Sign up to take part ➡️ bto.org/blackbirds-gar… #Springwatch

@sphaerularia @marina_arbetman Did I mention I was considering doing another Masters...... ;)

@marina_arbetman and I would be excited to see applications to work on our project with the world’s largest (and dare I say, most beautiful) 🐝 in Argentina

Interested in 🐝 conservation and doing a Masters by Research? Check out our programme @RHULBioSci royalholloway.ac.uk/studying-here/… and projects with me (w/@marina_arbetman) royalholloway.ac.uk/research-and-t… please retweet @BumblebeeTrust

Great to see @_BTO blackbirds in gardens survey (part of @VB_RADAR led by @HughHanmer and Rob Robinson) featured on @itvnews . If you have a garden and want to help us understand how Usutu virus might be impacting blackbirds please sign up here bto.org/blackbirds-gar…

1/ We need your help! 📢 Blackbirds are being threatened by the Usutu virus, so we’ve launched a new survey to understand the likely risk factors & how to mitigate them. Sign up to take part ➡️ bto.org/blackbirds-gar… & discover more.⬇️ #CitizenScience