Ross Cuthbert

Two *4-year* research #jobs in #mosquito vector biology at @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social:

(1) Research Fellow: hrwebapp.qub.ac.uk/tlive_webrec...

(2) Research Assistant (part-time): hrwebapp.qub.ac.uk/tlive_webrec...

We aim to unravel local vector assemblages while testing global processes

Great to have our ‘MosquitoNI’ project funded by a BBSRC New Investigator Award

This £1.5M project will unravel how mosquitoes, their viruses, and associated pathogens respond to environmental changes. It also addresses knowledge needs in a data-poor temperate region

www.qub.ac.uk/schools/Scho...

Substantial cold tolerance in all life stages of the biting midge Culicoides nubeculosus (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) In temperate regions, vector-borne disease risk is mediated by cold winter conditions, however, the cold tolerance of key vector taxa remains poorly understood. Culicoides biting midges are the primar...

With #bluetongue on the rise, including the first detections in Ireland this week, it is important to understand vector overwintering potential

Our new study identifies surprisingly high levels of #midge cold tolerance across their full life history

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Suspected case of bluetongue identified in cattle in NI A suspected case of Bluetongue Virus has been identified in cattle in Northern Ireland.

A suspected case of Bluetongue Virus has been identified in cattle in Northern Ireland

ICMB XIII goes to Cape Town, South Africa!

The next International Conference on Marine Bioinvasions is now confirmed for 2027! Follow for more updates.

Hope to see you there!

@marinebioinvasions.bsky.social #bioinvasions #NIS #marinebioinvasions #ICMB2027 #capetown #southafrica

What can medical entomology learn from invasion science?

Our new paper in Ecology Letters explores the potential links between aquatic plant invasions and the global proliferation of vector mosquitoes

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....

Funded PhD opportunity in our lab with NorthWestBio DTP:

Assessing the role of plant invasions in mosquito-borne disease risk

Plant invasions transform ecosystem structure, but can they promote insect vectors and associated disease risks?

Deadline 21 November 2025

www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate...

Global warming confers performance advantages to a non‐native predator Anthropogenic impacts manifest in rising temperatures worldwide, with drastic consequences for communities and ecosystems. Ectotherms tend to reach a smaller size at maturity in warmer environments, ...

Global warming confers performance advantages to a non‐native predator

nsojournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Had the pleasure of sharing our #mosquito and #midge research with @itvnews.bsky.social earlier this week

We are unravelling the insect vector composition and disease risk in Northern Ireland for the first time in decades, with temperate areas increasingly at risk

www.itv.com/watch/news/m...

Ecological similarity governs non-native fish establishment while human pressure and native diversity shape invasion richness Closely related fish species are more likely to invade, while human activity drives the number of invaders in a community.

Darwin's naturalisation conundrum poses two conflicting hypotheses around invasion processes

Using ~3000 North American fish communities, we show that native relatatedness promotes non-native establishment, but invasion richness links more strongly to human drivers

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Abstract submissions have just opened for #ICAIS2026, hosted in Northern Ireland at @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social

The conference theme is "Transcending Boundaries", considering habitats, disciplines, regions, and research-policy interfaces

Deadline: September 26, 2025

icais.org/icais-2026/c...

Can Galileo and Einstein's theory of relativity be applied to biological systems?

This new paper proposes the expansion of the dynamics of relativity theory into evolutionary changes from natural selection:

papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

🦟"Vertical transmission in field-caught #mosquitoes identifies a mechanism for the establishment of #Usutu #virus in a temperate country" by Mirjam Schilling et al. at APHA, ZSL, @ukhsa.bsky.social in Scientific Reports @natureportfolio.nature.com

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

We are recruiting! Looking for a dynamic, self-motivated, field-work loving post-doc to join our team working on invasions in MPAs. More details here: blogs.sun.ac.za/cib/project/...

#MarineBioinvasions #bioinvasions #MPAs

The #mosquito season is truly underway in these celtic lands. We're seeing an uptick in Scotland, and #Mosquito Northern Ireland friends Ryan Carmichael & @rosscuthbert.bsky.social got these in a trap in #Armagh today.

You can report mosquito sightings in Scotland -
www.mosquito-scotland.com

The same species, not the same invader: Metabolic responses of genetically distinct invasive populations of Dikerogammarus villosus and their intraspecific hybrid to environmental stresses We found evidence that intraspecific hybridisation due to relocations of organisms from different source populations to the same new areas may aid organisms in adapting to climate change.

A Research Highlight for this new primary research:

doi.org/10.1111/1365...

Hybridisation primes population invasiveness under environmental change Population-level differences can mediate biological invasion success under climatic gradients. I highlight recent research that demonstrates profound differences in environmental tolerances between i....

Hybridisation primes population invasiveness under environmental change

doi.org/10.1111/1365...

Followed by @rosscuthbert.bsky.social on why urban species can be successful invaders & @elliedolan.bsky.social on how to balance river barrier removal and invasive species management

Using species ranges and macroeconomic data to fill the gap in costs of biological invasions - Nature Ecology & Evolution Estimates of the monetary costs of invasive species have been hampered by data gaps. These authors use documented costs for 162 species to interpolate costs of those species for countries previously l...

Using species ranges and macroeconomic data to fill the gap in costs of biological invasions

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Mosquito trapping underway in Northern Ireland. Interested to see what the season (including my garden) will bring #MosquitoNI

An exciting collaboration with the inspiring @mosquitoscotland.bsky.social team

Invasions Newsletter safeguarding island havens. new research. management stories. policy updates.

📣📣 We would like to introduce the bi-annual #InvasionsNewsletter, an open-access digital magazine and a collaborative effort of individuals, networks, and organizations from around the world! You can access it here:
joom.ag/mIjd

The Release of Non‐Native Gamebirds Is Associated With Amplified Zoonotic Disease Risk Spillback is potentially an important mechanism by which non-natives contribute to zoonotic disease emergence. We capitalise on quasi-experimental releases of non-native pheasants (Phasianus colchicu...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

Harnessing traits to predict economic impacts from biological invasions Biological invasions stand among the main anthropogenic threats to ecosystems globally while causing multitrillion-dollar impacts. Surprisingly, while trait-based frameworks have been designed to pred...

Biological invasions cause multi-trillion dollar costs, but can we predict them?

We propose a new framework fusing ecology, evolution, and economics to predict costly invasions for different sectors using biological and economic characteristics

Find out more here: www.cell.com/trends/ecolo...

This paper was conceptualised during a special session at the 2022 International Conference on Aquatic Invasive Species (ICAIS) in Oostende, Belgium.

We are hosting the next ICAIS on campus at @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social in 2026 — find out more here: icais.org

Integrating climate change, biological invasions, and infectious wildlife diseases Climate change is likely to affect infectious diseases that are facilitated by biological invasions, with repercussions for wildlife conservation and zoonotic risks. Current invasion management and p...

Climate change can exacerbate biological invasions and associated diseases, creating ecological, economic, and ‘OneHealth’ risks.

Our latest review unpacks this interaction, towards more coordinated and integrative management strategies.

esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Rounding off our Level 1 Environmental Biology field course, biomonitoring rivers in Northern Ireland and testing for pollution effects on ecological assemblages 🪲🦐 🐟🪱 — featuring occasional horses @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social

Researchers show that warming and latitude shape the non-consumptive effects of both native and invasive alien crayfish predators on damselfly prey.

doi.org/10.3897/neob...

A group of people stand on steps in front of a brick building with arched doorways.

A great meeting today of our researchers who are working on projects that focus on the theme of Enabling Fair Transitions.

#ClimateAction #Research

Registration is OPEN for #ICMBXII!

Join us October 7–9, 2025, in Funchal, Madeira Island, #Portugal for a gathering of experts, researchers, and ocean enthusiasts tackling #marine #bioinvasions!

🔗 Register now: marinebioinvasions.info/register

Riverine Barrier Removals Could Proliferate Biological Invasions Artificial barriers (e.g., dams) are longstanding features of global freshwater habitats, which are being removed in growing numbers due to the limitations they place on native species movements. How....

Our opinion piece discussing the potential spread of invasive species following riverine barrier removals is now out 🦞🐟

Excited to share my first first author publication!

@rosscuthbert.bsky.social @fengzhihe.bsky.social

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....