The 1997 expedition to The Gambia was a month‑long scientific survey supported by Imperial College, the Gambian Ministry of Agriculture, and Action Aid. Its purpose was to document agricultural insect pests across the country’s major crop systems—particularly sorghum, millet, rice, maize, and groundnuts—and to assess associated natural predators, non‑crop species, and reservoir populations in surrounding vegetation.
Fieldwork covered both the north and south banks of the Gambia River and included extensive insect collection, gall sampling, and rearing of shoot flies and their inquilines, as well as saprophytic species. The team also conducted surveys in natural habitats such as mangroves, forest parks, savannah grassland, and plantations. A parallel objective was the collection and identification of cockroach species (Blattaria) to refine understanding of their distribution and associations with human environments.
At the request of the Ministry of Agriculture, the team delivered a four‑day farmer education course at Kuntaur Agricultural Station, covering taxonomy, monitoring techniques, and control strategies for two potentially serious future locust pests: Acanthacris ruficornis and Ornithacris turbida. Throughout this period, the Ministry provided transportation, staff assistance, and laboratory space, while Action Aid supplied accommodation and additional logistical support.
Preliminary findings revealed numerous key pests, beneficial predators, and species of agricultural significance. Several important discoveries emerged, including two species new to science: a Hydrellia fly (Ephydridae), potentially a new rice pest, and a new weevil (Curculionidae). The expedition also carried out emergency conservation work on the Gambian national insect collection at Yundum Agricultural Station, which had been severely damaged by museum beetles. A comprehensive dataset was generated across more than forty surveyed sites, with results intended for distribution to agricultural authorities in all five Gambian provinces visited.