Today I welcome Jess Stokes onto the R2Kast 🎙️ Jess is an insect scientist with a PhD in veterinary parasitology who has spent years studying midges Schmallenberg virus and the unpredictable way new diseases emerge 🦟🔬

We chat about how growing up in rural Gloucestershire during the foot and mouth outbreak sparked her fascination with disease spread. That journey took her through Swansea Bristol and Liverpool before leading her into high containment labs at the Pirbright Institute. Jess shares how every time she studies a virus it seems to vanish earning her the reputation of being a curse in entomology 🌍🧪

Together we dive into the mysteries of Schmallenberg and blue tongue virus appearing in Europe, the role of birds and trade in spreading disease, and how climate shifts are changing insect behaviour. Jess also talks about stepping beyond academia into consultancy, trap design, forecasting, and her work with the Royal Entomological Society on insect welfare and insects as food and feed 🐝🌱

It is a fascinating conversation that mixes science with humour from sick blackbirds to the unpredictability of midges and shows how curiosity can shape a career in unexpected ways ✨

Enjoy 😊

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