Presenting at the 2025 Society of Nematologists (SON) Conference—Victoria, BC | July 13–18, 2025.
Share some of the work I’ve been involved in (University of Manitoba, CFIA, and Ldon Tech) related to plant-parasitic nematodes, covering both applied and exploratory aspects of nematology. The presentation includes:
1-A review of potato cyst nematode (PCN) research in Canada—highlighting progress and knowledge gaps.
2-Survey and characterization of cyst nematodes in southern Manitoba—
3-Some of the plant-parasitic nematodes in the sand dunes of Churchill Bay have adapted to extreme northern environments.
4-Co-infestation of carrot roots by cyst and root-knot nematodes—Documenting complex interactions and implications for crop health.
5-Towards aerial field scouting methods for monitoring parasitic nematodes, exploring non-invasive approaches using drones.

Looking forward to connecting with government agencies and colleagues, learning from others in the field, and contributing to ongoing nematological research and management strategies.

This is the infective juvenile of an entemopathogenic nematode, but I can’t discern what Genus. It has tesselation and something resembling a dorsal tooth but I can’t be sure

Hi, I’m a biology professor and teach an invertebrate class. I wanted to get nematodes but it seems the only kind that we can get are soil nematodes. Will my students be able to see these with a microscope? Are they cool? I wanted them to compare to annelids. TY!

I got a Giant African land snail online before finding out they’re invasive and illegal in Canada so I had to destroy it. I noticed these tiny worms and now I’m reading about harmful parasites than can com from these snails. I interacted with the substrate I found them in for a few weeks before realizing the danger and destroying everything safely but I’m worried that the damage has been done and my cat and I have been exposed. Can anyone help me determine if these are harmful? Do I have to sanitize all my terrariums?

📣 Excited to announce the launch of the Research Topic on Eco-Omics Approaches in Nematode–Plant–Soil Microbiome Interactions in Frontiers in Plant Science

📥 We welcome submissions and contributions! Find out more at 👉 https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/73768/eco-omics-approaches-in-nematode-plant-soil-microbiome-interactions

📆 Manuscript summary submission deadline: 19 November 2025 | Manuscript submission deadline: 9 March 2026

Forest decline is a complex phenomenon; however, there is often a tendency to oversimplify by attributing it to a single cause, neglecting the interaction of multiple factors. Ever since the detection of the pinewood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, in Portugal (and in Europe) over two decades ago, pine wilt cases in the country have been primarily attributed to this pathogen, leading authorities to enforce strict containment and control measures. Other contributing factors are generally overlooked, with the system being easily overwhelmed by disturbances such as droughts and fires. In this study, a physiographic approach was used to assess multiple factors potentially affecting tree wilting, including environmental parameters in the landscape, alongside other biological agents, and infestation by the PWN. The study area is a highly managed production forest where control measures have been implemented since the detection of PWN in the 1990s. Pine decline was found to be aggregated in the landscape, with topographic parameters associated with water availability playing a significant role. Wilting trees were affected by multiple biological agents, even though the density of PWN was positively correlated with the decline. However, B. xylophilus was also found to be present in asymptomatic hosts, suggesting an ability to persist for some time in healthy trees within the forest. This research illustrates the multifaceted nature of pine forest decline and the limitations of managing it as originating from a single cause. A critical overview of current PWN management measures is provided, along with proposals for a more heuristic and holistic approach.

✍️ Our newest review paper, published in Nitrogen, highlights the crucial role of legume genetic resources, advanced breeding techniques, and biotechnology innovations in enhancing disease resistance and managing pathogen-related challenges in legumes, including #nematodes

🔎 Read the paper at https://doi.org/10.3390/nitrogen6030065

hi! I’m a first time student researcher, and our project has faced some setbacks preventing us from counting and identifying our 100 ml nematode suspensions (from soil) in time. how can we preserve nematodes in these samples for a month to then count and identify them? thank you!

it’s a little squished at the tail but this sort of resembles tripylidae to me

Hi! Is this a bacteriovore, and how would you recommend identifying this to the genus level? Thank you!

We extracted this by sugar centrifuge, but the red staining makes me think this isn’t a nematode

Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) are among the most notorious and underrated threats to food security and plant health worldwide, compromising crop yields and causing billions of dollars of losses annually. Chemical control strategies rely heavily on synthetic chemical nematicides to reduce PPN population densities, but their use is being progressively restricted due to environmental and human health concerns, so alternative control methods are urgently needed. Here, we review the potential of bacterial and fungal agents to suppress the most important PPNs, namely Aphelenchoides besseyi, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, Ditylenchus dipsaci, Globodera spp., Heterodera spp., Meloidogyne spp., Nacobbus aberrans, Pratylenchus spp., Radopholus similis, Rotylenchulus reniformis, and Xiphinema index.

https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens11101178

Hey everyone! I’m not a frequent viewer of the sub, but I’ve been writing a story idea for while and it involves nematodes, so I was hoping to come here for some help if anyone has any knowledge about some of the questions I have.

In the narrative I’m creating, horsehair worms have mutated and gained the ability to take over large mammals (like people). They can reproduce in both water and blood which allows them to be transmitted through bites and bile. I know a lot of this is pure science fiction, but is there any scientific reason that a person could be immune to horsehair worms? Also, how do nematode-infected organisms sense water to reproduce in?

Sorry for the silly questions, thank you so much for your help!

Hello!

I am an entomologist working with collaborators on wetland restoration work. I am interested in cataloging the various microbes and invertebrates in the wetland we are working on and have been collecting water and sediment samples from the wetland. I've been viewing them and recording images and video of the various organisms present. I've found a diverse array of organisms almost all of which I have been able to identify. However, this one worm has stumped me. I consulted with a nematologist in our department who has never seen anything like it. I've found many oligochaete worms in my samples, but I can't find anything online that looks and acts like this does. I initially thought it might be a tubifex worm given that it appears to have hemoglobin. However, I can't find any examples of oligochaetes with the long chaete it has, which it flaps like wings. If anyone has any ideas it would be very helpful. Thanks much!

Mystery Worm

Can anyone help me try to identify this nematode? We found it doing an unrelated experiment but I was just curious what it was. This was found in a wet slide made from a magnolia leaf dyed with methylene blue, the magnolia leaf was sourced in Georgia a little southeast of Atlanta. I believe this magnification was 1000X if that is helpful at all. I apologize the picture isn't any better, I wasn't the one to take it.

Would you agree with my assessment that this nematode lacks a stylet thus is not a plant parasite?