This session covers the oldest interconnection between modern fields of Entomology, i.e., Systematics and Morphology. The study of insect systematics and morphology has changed over time, embracing new technologies and state-of-the-art analytical approaches, without neglecting traditional methods. Today -in the era of biodiversity-, insect systematics are more popular than ever. An alloy of molecular and morphological tools is being used to tackle stimulating questions regarding insect phylogeny, ecology, physiology, management and many other disciplines, always under the light of evolution.

Session Head
Apostolos Trichas, Natural History Museum of Crete, Greece

The Genetics and Evolutionary Biology session accepts oral presentations and posters on the general fields of arthropod genetics, genomics and evolutionary biology with the aim of highlighting current and significant research developments. The session will be divided into three broad sub-sessions entitled Evolutionary Genomics, Evolutionary Ecology and Evolution and Development of Functional Traits. Both fundamental research and applied topics will be considered.

Thematic Session Organizers
Sara Magalhães, Portugal
Kostas Mathiopoulos, Greece
Efthimios Skoulakis, Greece
Leo W. Beukeboom, The Netherlands
Philippos Papathanos, Israel (Session head)

Physiology and Biochemistry Session covers the fundamental and applied research on insect physiological systems and the background biochemistry. The session will focus on the new insights into the structure and operation of physiological systems in response to biotic and abiotic factors; as well as biochemical pathways. Research topics integrated with molecular approaches will be also highlighted. Potential of insect physiological systems as target sites in pest control will be also considered. Both oral and poster presentations are welcomed.

Session Heads
Claudio Lazzari, University of Tours, France
Umut Toprak, Ankara University, Turkey

Ecology and behavior session covers all the new achievements related on the interactions between insects and environment, adaptation, chemical communication and evolutionary approach. The session will be divided into three broad sub-sessions entitled: Sensory biology, Evolutionary ecology and behavior and Chemical communication/engineering. Both fundamental research and applied topics will be considered.

Thematic Session Organizers
Stefanos Andreadis
Kostas Iatrou
Emmanuelle Jacquin-Joly
Maria Konstantopoulou (Session head)

We welcome high-quality contributions from the field of basic and applied ecology of insects. This session will highlight speakers, at various career stages, with diverse approaches to stimulate discussion about paths to push the discipline forward. We seek to cover a wide range of topics, including the genetic, molecular and chemical mechanisms underlying multitrophic interactions, evolution of multispecies interactions, role of microbes in mediating these interactions and applications to pest management, biodiversity conservation and climate change.

Keynote speakers
Sergio Rasmann, Switzerland
Martin Kaltenpoth, Germany
Shuqing Xu, Germany

Invited speakers
Maria Pozo, Spain
Sylvain Pincebourde, France

Thematic Session Organizers
Anne-Marie Cortesero, University of Rennes/INRAE, France
David Giron, CNRS/University of Tours, France
Maria L. Pappas, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece

To achieve successful insect pest management that meets the increasing expectations on safety and specificity aspects, biotechnological approaches represent an essential tool. The session “Insect Biotechnology” will be organized in three sub-sessions that highlight progress in the following key areas:

1. Improved methods for RNAi-mediated pest control
   Organizer: Gianluca Tettamanti, University of Insubria, Italy
   Keynote: Olivier Christiaens, Syngenta Ghent Innovation Center, Belgium

2. Genome editing of insect pests and vectors of disease to understand physiological processes and resistance mechanisms
   Organizer: Vassilis Douris, University of Ioannina, Greece
   Keynote: George K. Christophides, Imperial College London, UK

3. Discovery and engineering of viruses and micro-organisms for improved pest control
   Organizer: Luc Swevers, National Center for Scientific Research Demokritos, Greece
   Keynote: Murad Ghanim, Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, Israel

Session Head
Luc Swevers, National Center for Scientific Research Demokritos, Greece

The Symbiosis and Insect Pathology session covers all aspects of insect – microbiome microbiota interactions, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa, expanding from mutualism to parasitism and from obligatory to facultative symbiosis. The different forms of the art of ‘living together’ are presented and discussed in this session. Both fundamental research and applied topics are considered, including the use of microbes in environment-friendly control methods of insect agricultural pest and insect disease vectors.

Thematic Session Organizers
Laurence Mouton, France
Vera Ros, The Netherlands
Anastasia Tsagkarakou, Greece
Antonios Avgoustinos, Greece

In the years to come, urban environments and forest ecosystems are expected to be heavily affected both by native and invasive insect species. International trade and globalization facilitate the movement of insects beyond their natural range while changes in climatic and environmental regime not only allow the establishment of invasive species but even trigger population outbreaks of native ones. This session aims at presenting the latest advances in forest and urban entomology, highlighting the challenges in this changing environment.

1. Urban and Forest Entomology – Insects in urban landscapes – pests, friends and allies
   Keynote: Dr. Marc Kenis, Head Risk Analysis and Invasion Ecology, CABI, Switzerland

2. Urban and Forest Entomology – Forest insects in a changing environment – challenges and new approaches
   Keynote: Prof. Ferenc Lakatos, University of Sopron, Faculty of Forestry, Institute of Forest and Natural Resource Management, Hungary

3. Urban and Forest Entomology – Ecology and evolution of bark beetles
   Keynote: Prof. Dr. Massimo Faccoli, Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and the Environment, University of Padua, Italy

Session Heads
Dr. Dimitrios Papachristos, Benaki Phytopathological Institute, Athens, Greece
Dr. Dimitrios Avtzis, Forest Research Institute, HAO Demeter, Thessaloniki, Greece
Dr. Alain Roques, French National Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment (INRAE), France

Sub-sessions 

1. Paradigms of “One Health” approach in combating vector borne diseases (VBDs)
   Organizer: Smaro Sotiraki
   This sub-session is dedicated `to the effect of climate variability, socioecological dynamics on the human, animal, and environmental interface and the risk of VBD transmission.
   Keynote: Dr. Gioia Bongiorno, Instituto Superiore di Sanita, Department of infectious diseases, DMI Unit of Vector-borne diseases, Italy

2. Next generation vector surveillance: Emerging technologies and the role of society
   Organizers: Alexandra Chaskopoulou, Mary Cameron
   This sub-session will be dedicated to new tools and approaches for the surveillance of vectors and vector-borne pathogens, including but not limited to citizen-based strategies.
   Keynote: Dr. Lee Cohnstaedt, The National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS), US

3. Innovative vector control strategies: Adapting to the future
   Organizers: Antonios Michaelakis, Alessandra della Torre
   This sub-session will focus on results from the implementation of innovative mosquito control methods.
   Keynote: Dr. Jeremy Bouyer UMR ASTRE Cirad, France

4. Changing patterns on VBDs transmission risk
   Organizer: Elina Patsoula
   In this sub-session, we aim to shed light on possible future trends related to changing patterns on VBDs transmission, in view of the increasing probability of global climate change.
   Keynote: Dr. Marieta Braks , National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, The Netherlands (RIVM)

 

Session Head
Smaro Sotiraki, EBVS® European Veterinary Specialist in Parasitology, Veterinary Research Institute, Greek Agricultural Organization Demeter (former N.AG.RE.F.)

Facilitated by climate change and human activities, invasive species threaten agricultural productivity, increase the risk of vector-borne diseases and act as agents of biodiversity loss. The session shares the newest research achievents on the insect invasion biology, highlighting the impact of climate change on species range distribution, population dynamics and epidemic configurations. The session focuses on three groups of organisms with emphasis on the European context: invasive fruit flies, the invasion of Popillia japonica, and the threat of invasive mosquitoes.

Session Head
Nikolaos Papadopoulos, University of Thessaly, Greece

The Biodiversity and Conservation session accepts papers from the general field of insect, mite and other arthropod conservation and diversity to highlight any current and significant research developments. Τopics are focused but not limited to biogeography, environmental factors and climate change, emerging threats and challenges to arthropod diversity, conservation genetics, arthropod ecological services, strategies to halt biodiversity loss, conservation of pollinators, natural enemies interactions, and ecological indicators.

Session Head
Panagiotis Eliopoulos, University of Thessaly, Greece

‘Social’ insects live in colonies and they are characterised by group integration, division of labour and overlapping generations. Under ‘Apidology’ in this congress we include the scientific studies for all bees, social and non-social.

1. Sociality in insects
   All issues related to insect sociality (e.g. nest-building, prey capture, recruitment for food)
   Keynote: Dr. Deborah Smith, University of Kansas, U.S.

2. Wild bee ecology and biogeography
   Processes determining patterns in nature at different spatial and temporal scales
   Keynote: Dr. Denis Michez, Department of Zoology, Université de Mons, Belgium

3. Bees and pollination
   Pollination by wild and managed bees wildlife conservation, crop quality and quantity, food security, and global economy
   Keynote: Dr. Fabrice Requier, UMR-EGCE Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, France

4. Bee threats in a changing environment
   Land use change, agrochemicals, intensive agriculture, pests and pathogens, extinction or loss of food resources, bad nutrition, global warming
   Keynote 1: Dr Jordi Bosch, CREAF. Campus UAB, Portugal
   Keynote 2: Prof. Dirk De Graaf, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Guent University, Belgium

Session Head
Dr. Fani Hatjina, Research Director, ELGO ‘DIMITRA’, Greece

Modern pest control largely depends on the application of insecticides and acaricides, but often hampered by the evolution of resistance. However, if resistance evolves, the understanding of molecular and genetic mechanisms is important to implement resistance management strategies. Likewise, the elucidation of mechanisms underlying metabolic and target-site resistance are crucial to overcome cross-resistance issues with novel mode of action. The field has recently gained momentum by several genomic and genetic tools allowing to dissect molecular interactions between agrochemicals and interacting proteins.

Keynotes Speakers
Daniel Swale, University of Florida, USA
Linda Grigoraki, IMBB, Greece
Chris Bass, University of Exeter, UK
Ralf Nauen, Bayer AG, Germany

Session Heads
Thomas Van Leeuwen, University of Ghent, Belgium
Ralph Nauen, Bayer AG, Germany

In the framework of EU Green Deal and current needs in insects and mites pest management, use of biological control agents and biopesticides is becoming increasingly important. Furthermore, for introduced pests in new regions classical biological control programmes are emphasized for long run sustainable solutions. We encourage presentations on successful paradigms and solutions, and future aspects for new developments in greenhouse biocontrol, biological control of orchard pests and the use of entomopathogens as biopesticides. Sub sessions and Keynote speakers:

1. New developments in greenhouse biocontrol.
   Keynote: Dr. Gerben Messelink, Wageningen University & Research Business Unit Greenhouse Horticulture, The Netherlands

2. Biological control of orchard and vineyard pests.
   Keynote: Associate Professor Alejandro, Tena Institut Valencià d’Investigacions Agràries (IVIA), Spain

3. Entomopathogens as biopesticides.
   Keynote: Associate Professor, Nicolai Meyling, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Thematic Session Organizers
Prof. Gerben Messelink, The Netherlands
Prof. George Broufas, Greece
Dr. Apostolos Kapranas, Greece
Dr Panos Milonas, Greece

In the context of global trends and challenges of modern agriculture and in the European Union legislative framework, it is necessary to review the Integrated Pest Management protocols thoroughly. Session Integrated Pest Management is framed to present innovative solutions for pest management. Contributions will focus on behavioral control methods; plant defense mechanisms and applications; biotechnology tools; the sustainable use of pesticides; agroecology applications and the use of functional biodiversity; all different control tools alternative to chemical methods and innovative technological tools for IPM. Sub sessions and Keynote speakers:

1. Pest bio-ecology, monitoring and control.
   Keynote: Nicolas Desneux, Université Côte d’Azur, INRAE, CNRS, UMR ISA, Nice, France

2. Plant defenses, elicitors and antagonists.
   Keynote: Dr. Maria Pappas, Associate Professor in Entomology and Acarology, Department of Agricultural Development, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece

3. Novel technological tools in IPM.
   Keynote: Christopher John Topping, Department of Ecoscience, University of Aarhus, Denmark

Thematic Session Organizers
Dr Dionysis Perdikis, Agricultural University of Athens, Greece
Prof. Alberto Urbaneja, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias, IVIA, Spain
Prof. Lucia Zappalà, University of Catania, Italy

Stored product protection is a key element in safeguarding global food security. Post-harvest infestations by storage pests can cause serious quantitative losses and qualitative degradations. The term “stored products”, apart from durable food, also includes a wide range of non-food items, that vary from tobacco to museum artefacts. At the same time, many of these pests are also presented in the urban and the sub-urban environment, while, recently, certain stored product insect species have been approved for food and feed.

Keynote Speakers
James Campbell, USDA-ARS, USA
Rudolf Plarre, BAM, Germany
Laura Gasco, University of Torino, Italy

Session Head
Christos Athanassiou, University of Thessaly, Greece