[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/jeremy_mcneil edited1.jpg” caption=”Jeremy McNeil will give a public lecture about alternatives to pesticides on Wednesday, Oct. 18.”]How do we find that delicate balance in nature? On the one hand, we need to control the considerable losses caused by insects with the use of pesticides. On the other hand, pesticide use can also have a negative impact on our environment and our health.

Jeremy McNeil, one of Canada's foremost ecological enotomologists and internationally renowned behavioural and chemical ecologists will be tackling this issue at a free public lecture on Wednesday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. in Convocation Hall.

McNeil, the Helen Battle Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Western Ontario, will deliver this year's Governor General Lecture, a series presented by the Royal Society of Canada.

Canada's first national research lecture tours were created to inform Canadians about the latest knowledge on topics of national interest and to provide a platform for policy-related discussions.

McNeil's lecture, titled In search of alternatives to synthetic pesticides: Eavesdropping on Mother Nature will examine synthetic insecticides and how their use–and misuse–can also result in a number of undesirable effects, which include the development of insecticide resistance in pest species and detrimental impacts on non-target species, including humans.

Join Dr. McNeil as he listens to nature's “conversations,” giving the audience a greater appreciation of the fascinating world around us, but also providing more eco-friendly ways of controlling pests in the years to come.

This is a free public lecture and all are welcome. To reserve your seat, please call 905-525-9140, ext. 27965 or e-mail research@mcmaster.ca.