(Image Slug: Pictured left to right: Dr Bert Candusio, C.V.R.I.C Curator, Dr Jenny Shield; La Trobe University and Dr Robert Raven)

The Central Victoria Regional Insect Collection (C.V.R.I.C) was recently paid a visit by two leading research scientists in order to view and evaluate the C.V.R.I.C collections and to support its ongoing progress and development. The first research papers describing new species from the C.V.R.I.C will be published in the near future.

Dr Robert Raven is one of Australia's foremost arachnologist or spider expert. Having started by researching the behaviour and ecology of spiders in the Brisbane region, he moved on to the taxonomy of spiders. He has described over 450 new species in more than 40 genera from Australia, South East Asia, the Pacific islands, and Central and South America. Having joined the staff of the Queensland Museum in 1974 he became Head of Terrestrial Biodiversity and Principal Curator.

Dr Raven has been Spider Bite Consultant for the Royal Children's Hospital, Brisbane for many years. He serves as Chairman of the World Spider Catalog Committee for the International Society of Arachnology and was founder of the Australasian Arachnological Society. In 2018 he was awarded the Queensland Museum Medal.

Dr Jenny Sheild from La Trobe University has also studied the spider and insect fauna of Central Victoria over many years and works with Dr Raven in describing new spider species collected from the region.

Both Dr Raven and Dr Shield called in to the C.V.R.I.C to discuss the importance of the collection and to help ensure that the collection is protected for future generations. The collections curator Bert Candusio is keen to locate the collection locally where it can be made publicly available for biological research, education and environmental assessment applications.

Now that the 2023 National Insect Expo has wound up for the year, C.V.R.I.C is getting ready to begin its On-Line Courses once again. The first course will be the Introduction To Entomology Course and will begin on November 1st at 7:30 pm and will be delivered via Zoom Conferencing Software. Enrolements for this fundamental course are now open. See here for more details and to enrole: Introduction to Entomology Course Details.

The National Insect Expo has concluded for this year and was a resounding success. Estimated visitation numbers are around 7000 up slightly from last years event and considering factors such as interest rates and inflation, the turnout was great. All exhibitors did a roaring trade and also made lots of contacts not only with the general public, but networking within the industry and making connections as well. Response from the public has again been amazing with all positive comments including response to the free give aways provided this year by our major Sponsor Australian Entomological Supplies..Thanks guys!

Now that we heve had a chance to go over the visitation data, some interesting findings can be seen. Visitation from Local Areas (Woodend, Gisborne, Kyneton, Romsey etc: 925. Total Visitors from Regional districts: 5243. Total Visitations from Interstate: 748. Total Visitations from International arrivals: 39.

The following accommodation venues were booked by visitors and exhibitors for the 3 day event:
Gisborne Hotel, The Dickins Woodend, Wilton Lane Air BnB, Macedon Spa, Castlemaine BnB, Blackwood Mineral Springs Caravan Park, Kyneton Springs Motel, Bella Loft Woodend, Black Forest Motel, Mistwood, Kyneton Air BnB, Air BnB Woodend, Horseshoes Studio Woodend, Hobried Bnb, Holgate Brew-house Woodend, Lancefield Lodge.

There were many others but we didn't get all the required information from all visitors and exhibitors in time before they departed. This will be addressed next year after we implement our own booking and registration forms. Here are some of the more exotic locations that provided visitors to this event this year: Copenhagen, Tokyo, Wellington, Brussels, New Deli, San Francisco and Madrid!
Its interesting to note the increased numbers of international visitors when compared to last year. This can be traced to the fact that quite a few were international collectors looking to network with Australian based breeders and suppliers of specimens. Interesting...

We would like to thank the following for making the 2023 National Insect Expo a success: Macedon Ranges Shire Council, Bendigo Community Bank Gisborne, Australian Entomological Supplies, Friends of the Phasmid, Woodend Nursery, All Our Amazing Exhibitors, Buffalo Stadium Staff, Caterers, Trevor and Steve for setting up, and to our wonderful volunteers and helpers, many thanks!!!  See you all again in 2024!

The Lord of the Insects is the Expo Ambassador representing all insects and related Invertebrates on the entire planet. He represents the importance of insect conservation and its vital role in preserving the most important component of all ecosystems. The message he is giving is a simple one...Look after habitats and all insects that rely on them for a better and healthier planet.

There were smiles all around when the National Insect Expo exhibition manager Jesse-Bree (Pictured to the Right) rolled up with several drawers of spectacular insects from the Russell Wilkinson Collection that was donated to the C.V.R.I.C this year and will be on show at the exhibition. Staff and customers were amazed at the colors and different forms that were seen. Again, the C.V.R.I.C would like to thank Bendigo Community Bank Gisborne for their continued support.

The final floor plan for this years National Entomology Insect Expo have now been completed. Exhibition Manager Jesse-Bree has managed to set each exhibitors position in order to give change and contrast from the view of the visitor. She has also allowed for plenty of floorspace for a smooth flow of foot traffic including wheelchairs if needed. Unlike last years Expo, 2023 will be split between the main Basketball Court area and the Conferencing room next door..

There will be some rather unique and unusual exhibits at this years National Insect Expo and some are bound to enthral all visitors. Keep an eye out for Luke Abbot Designs. Luke creates incredible jewellery pieces based on an insect theme and focus. Another exhibitor showcasing their wonderful insect work is Brydie Crellin. Keep an eye our for her exhibit..Amazing.

Thanks to the amazing support from Australian Entomological Supplies for this years expo, we will be giving away a wonderful tool to every child from ages 7 to 14 to help them start their journey of discovery into the wonderful world of insects and related invertebrates. A big thanks to AES..

Macedon Ranges Shire Council has again supported the National Insect Expo for 2023 by way of a $9700.00 Grant from the Macedon Ranges Events and Festivals Grant Program 2023/2024. The MRSC has again supported this important and nationally significant event which greatly promotes the Conservation of Invertebrates message to the general public and also highlights the entire entomological scientific and cultural community.

Thank you Macedon Ranges Shire Council for your support.

On the 15th of August, the C.V.R.I.C Director Bert Candusio was rushed to the Bendigo Base Hospital after suffering from acute chest pain. Doctors were unable to insert stents into the blocked arteries of the heart due to the degree of blockage so he was rushed to the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne where he underwent a 4 hour open-heart surgery operation to conduct a triple heart by-pass.
After three weeks of intensive care, Bert is now home and will take up to eight weeks to fully recover.

We would like to extend our thanks and gratitude to the Surgery Team and Surgeons, Doctors, Nurses and Staff of the Alfred Hospital for providing the wonderful care Bert received during his stay and we send our best wishes for a speedy recovery to him.

The C.V.R.I.C Team

As more and more progress is made into the final stages of this year National Entomology Insect Expo, its becoming apparent that the event will far surpass what we saw last year. Some exhibitors will bring with them an amazing assortment of displays and products that will thrill visitors over the three days. This year will also concentrate on providing another amazing experience for all insect loving kids of all ages with free givaways and other surprises too! See You In September!

Planning for the 2023 National Entomology Insect Expo is well underway with only a few exhibitor places remaining. Expo Director Bert Candusio said today that the enthusiasm and excitment for this years event has been fabulous and it looks as if the 2023 Expo will be much bigger and better than last years.

Many new and exciting exhibitions will be on show to the public over the 3 days of September 22nd to 24th and some displays are arriving from as far as Queensland, Western Australia and New Zealand!

The Bendigo Community Bank Gisborne will again become a Major Sponsor of the 2023 National Entomology Insect Expo with a Sponsorship Donation towards this years event. Last years Expo drew large crowds from throughout the Macedon Ranges Shire district including hundreds of visitors across Victoria and interstate. This also included visitors from outside Australia.

The Bendigo Community Bank of Gisborne is delighted to sponsor the 2023 National Entomology Insect Expo and believes our project provides a significant benefit to the local community and they are proud to continue to support this important and major event in 2023.

THANK YOU BENDIGO COMMUNITY BANK GISBORNE!!

One of our intrepid students has collected an unusual example of the relatively little known ant genus Pseudoneoponera.

This genera of ants is comprised of less than 20 species and ranges from India to Australia. The genus is notable for the unusual foamy defensive secretions its workers exude from the sting, for its small colonies, and for its unusual social systems, including the frequent occurrence of gamergates.

Workers of Pseudoneoponera are distinguished from other ponerine ants by their combination of robust build, coarse sculpturing, shaggy pilosity, obsolete metanotal groove, a nodiform petiole which is semicircular in dorsal view and often has a denticulate posterodorsal margin, longitudinally striate tergite A3 (rarely otherwise sculptured), and strong gastral constriction between A3 and A4.

Pseudoneoponera most closely resembles Bothroponera and Phrynoponera, and to a lesser extent Ectomomyrmex, but these genera lack the shaggy pilosity, semicircular denticulate petiole, and longitudinally striate tergite A3 of Pseudoneoponera, and Pseudoneoponera lacks the spinose propodeum (except Pseudoneoponera bispinosa), five-spined petiolar node, and unconstricted gaster of Phrynoponera, and the small eyes, angular sides of the head, divided mesopleuron (except in a few species), and weakly constricted gaster of Ectomomyrmex.

With the rapid registration of new exhibitors for this years 2023 National Entomology Insect Expo, and with last years exhibitors all keen to be involved at this years event, the C.V.R.I.C is looking at the potential senario that Buffalo Sports stadium in Woodend may not be large enough a venue to host the Expo by 2024, and the Expo is only into its second year!!.

This potential situation needs to be planned for just in case it eventuates, so the group has decided to plan ahead. The only venue capable of hosting the Expo in 2024 and beyond without having to re-locate out of the region in future years is the massive New Gisborne Sports Complex which is currently under construction.
This facility has an internal exhibition area equivalent to 6 full basketball courts and will be well over 6 times the indoor area of Buffalo Stadium.

C.V.R.I.C has become the first to book and lock the new centre for the September 2024 National Entomology Insect Expo in order to permanently remain in the Macedon Ranges.

Here is the promotional You Tube video of the new facility in New Gisborne...enjoy.

New Gisborne Sports Complex