7th International Symposium on Biological Control of Arthropods (ISBCA7) will run from 26 to 30 October 2026 at the KALRO Conference Centre in Loresho, Nairobi, Kenya. It is co-hosted by EUFAWREADY project partner CABI and the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO). 

On Thursday, 29 October 2026, ISBCA7 will host the session “Biological control of fall armyworm (FAW) in temperate and subtropical climates", convened by Marc Kenis (CABI), with Zhang Yibo (Institute for Plant Protection at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS)) as co-convenor.

The session will bring together examples of biological control against FAW from subtropical and temperate parts of the world. Some of these methods are already being applied, while others are still being researched.

In the Americas, Spodoptera frugiperda (FAW) does serious harm to maize and a range of other crops. In recent years, it has moved well beyond that region and can now be found on several continents.

The pest is best known for the damage it causes in the tropics, but it is not limited to them. In subtropical areas, it can form lasting populations and harm crops. Temperate regions face a different situation. The pest’s ability to migrate brings it into these areas as well, but it generally does not stay for long.

Wherever the fall armyworm has arrived, work is underway to find sustainable ways of controlling it, and biological control is one of them. The right approach is not the same everywhere, since it can depend on the local climate and on how crops are grown.

The full programme is available on the ISBCA7 website.

Stay tuned for more updates by following EUFAWREADY on LinkedIn and Bluesky.