Marc Kenis
Head Risk Analysis and Invasion Ecology
Rue des Grillons 1 CH-2800 Delémont, Switzerland
CABI centre: Switzerland
CABI’s Swiss centre carries out applied scientific research and undertakes consultancy projects. Located in Delémont in the Canton of Jura, it is the home base for experts and students from several different countries where they research and apply their knowledge.
Related projects
Classical biological control of Japanese beetle
The Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica) is a pest that feeds on hundreds of fruit tree species, causing considerable damage. In the USA, costs to control the pest exceed $450 million per year. Global regions that climatically support the invasion of the Japanese beetle include central Europe where it is considered a high priority pest. This project is aiming to tackle the spread of the Japanese beetle by exploring the use of the parasitic fly, Istocheta aldrichi, as a classical biological control agent in Switzerland, where it arrived in 2017.
Start: 01/05/21 -End: 31/12/24
Fighting the yellow-legged Asian hornet in Switzerland
The yellow-legged Asian hornet, Vespa velutina nigrithorax, was first detected in central Europe in 2004 and has since established in many countries on the continent. This hornet is a predator of honey bees and other insects, threatening honey production, pollination services and biodiversity. With Switzerland facing the imminent invasion by the hornet, CABI was commissioned by the Swiss government to help with the preparation for the threat and the control of the first arrivals. This project aims to establish a monitoring system for the early detection of the Asian hornet, determine control strategies and use climate modelling to predict where in Switzerland the insect might settle.
Start: 31/01/17 -End: 31/12/21
