entomology lab members

 Nigel is an entomologist and is currently the Chair of Science at Southern Cross University. He is also a 2020 Fulbright Senior Scholar. Nigel is currently a panel member of the Australian Research Council, College of Experts. He is also Editor-in-Chief of Austral Ecology and Vice-President of the Entomological Society of NSW. Additionally, Nigel is a member of the NSW Fulbright Postgraduate, Postdoctoral, and Future Scholar Scholarship Panels. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society. 

 Ed is a PhD student in the lab, investigating the ecological dynamics of dung beetles under various livestock management regimes across the Northern Rivers. His research combines emerging techniques like microbiome analysis with simple, replicable trapping methods that anyone can use. Ed's project aims to develop low-impact, high-quality, and collaborative approaches to assess how farming practices impact insect diversity and soil health. By making biodiversity monitoring accessible to farmers and land managers, Ed’s work highlights the essential role insects play as ecosystem engineers in agricultural systems and bridges the gap between ecological science and land management. Ed’s work is funded by SCU and the SQNNSW Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub. 

Reid is an industry entomologist and Southern Cross University PhD student that works closely with macadamia farmers in the Southeast Queensland region to better manage crop pests through more sustainable means. Within his PhD research project, Reid is focused on investigating the biology of soapberry bugs in macadamia orchards to implement future pest management.

PhD Project Summary:

Soapberry bugs are identified as a currently growing insect pest within the macadamia industry. Unlike other known crop pests, there are no control methods and a general lack of knowledge regarding the relationship between these soapberry bugs and Australian macadamia orchards. For his research project, Reid is investigating the biological relationship between soapberry bugs and macadamia orchards; assessing the efficacy of currently registered pesticides; and determining possible integrated pest management techniques for control of soapberry bugs in macadamia orchards.  Research outcomes from this project will provide increased crop pest awareness and control strategies amongst consultants, which in turn will improve yield protection for growers and quality of product for processing plants and consumers alike.

MSc Black Soldier Fly.   

The management of organic waste remains a significant global environmental challenge. One sustainable approach is the use of Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae, which efficiently convert organic waste into valuable products. While previous studies have explored the effects of different feed types on BSF development, life cycle, and frass composition, their impact on chitin content remains under-researched. Risa’s project aims to investigate how various feed sources influence BSF production, with a specific focus on chitin content. The outcomes of this project will demonstrate the potential for advancements on BSF farms, leading to increased efficiency of BSF products, providing a better farm environment that is suitable for purpose and leading to organic waste management.

Daniel is a Mechanical Engineer and PhD student at Southern Cross University, specialising in acoustics. His research focuses on developing advanced, drone-mounted acoustic olfactory sensors with the goal of providing real-time, non-invasive monitoring of biotic stressors in macadamia crops. By integrating acoustic data with environmental metrics, this technology will enable early detection of pests to help improve yield protection and sustainability in the macadamia industry – also reducing the use of pesticides.

PhD Project Summary:

Current biotic stress detection methods in macadamia farming rely on visual inspections and traditional monitoring techniques, which can be time-consuming and reactive. Daniel’s research aims to revolutionise this process by developing a sound-based olfactory system that captures and analyses distinct acoustic signals produced by key pests, such as the macadamia nut borer and fruit spotting bug. This innovative approach builds upon his background in mechanical engineering and acoustics, applying machine learning and sensor integration to enhance detection accuracy.

Daniel’s expertise extends beyond acoustics, with experience in thermodynamics and plant engineering from his time in industry. His PhD research contributes to Australia’s digital agriculture advancements, providing farmers with practical, data-driven tools for better crop management and demonstrating the potential of acoustics in precision farming.

University of New England

Dr Zac Hemmings

Dung Beetle Ecosystem Engineers (DBEE) program

Dr Alva Curtsdotter

Project: Individual based modelling of dung beetles in response to climatic and nutritional variation

Dr Alfonsina Arriaga-Jimenez

Project: Assessing the vulnerability of native dung beetles to a warmer and drier climate along environmental gradients.

Dr James O Hanlon 

(2017-2019)

Project: Landscape scale effects of animal behavior: Are ants planting Australia’s forests?

Dr Jean Drayton (2016 - 18)

Project: Ecosystem services in a changing climate: climate change effects on dung burial by dung beetles and beetle mediated greenhouse gas emissions.

 Dr Senshan Wang (2013/14)

Postdoctoral Fellow

Thermal tolerances of aphids under different dietary regimes

Dr Nereda Christian (2010-2012)

The Sweep Net - Introduction and Extension of IPM in Northern NSW.

Dr Myung-Pyo Jung (2010-2011)

Thermal tolerances of meat ants.

Dr Md Habibullah Bahar (2010-2011)

Insect thermal physiology.

Southern Cross Uni

PhD

Kirsten Ellis (2024)

Honours

Reid Emery (2024)

University of New England

PhD     

Thomas Heddle (2024) 

Mukta Mala (2022) 

Min Raj Pokhrel (2020)

How does temperature, food quality and competition affect ability of dung beetles to find and keep resources?

Biniam Lakew (2020)

Project: Identification and epidemiology of vectors for Theileria orientalis

Nirosha Ranawaka (2020)

Population genetics and nest variation of Iridomyrmex purpureus (meat ant) around the New England Tablelands

Amrit Sidhu (2020)

Developing breeding grounds for dung beetles.

Isobel Roberts (2019)

The influence of climate on insect-plant communications

Kalifa al Kindi (2019)

Modelling of dubas bug habitat and population density in Oman based on association with human, environmental and climatological factors.

Sean Moore (2019)

Does thermal stress and resource limitation impact on ant communities?

Sue Jagger (2019)

Interactions between natural enemies of greenhouse whiteflies as control agents on greenhouse tomatoes

Zoology, University of New England

Zac Hemmings (2018)

The thermal games dung beetles play: assessing how temperature and competition influence a critical ecosystem service provider.

Behnaz Ghaedi (2017)

Impact of repeated stress exposures on the thermal tolerance abilities in the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae).

Matt Binns (2016) 

Predicting the effect of climate change on community structure and function: an assessment using temperate grassland invertebrates.

Peter Serov (2014)

Evolution of the Anaspidacea (Crustacea: Malacostraca: Syncarida).

Michelle Yates (2014)

Ecosystem Services Within a Semi-Arid Agricultural Landscape:  The Importance of Weed Species and Native Plants in Supporting Aphid Parasitoids and Plant Pollinators.

Tom Mooney (2013)

Response of soil invertebrates to petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated soils at Macquarie Island.

Sabine Nooten (2012)

Impacts of Climate Change on Plant-Insect Interactions. PhD at Macquarie University

Austin O'Malley (2012)

Spacial patterns in truffle-like fungi distribution, mutualistic interactions with mammals, and spore dispersal dynamics.

CHanthy Pol (2011)

The potential impact of climate change on Nezara viridula (L.) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) and its parasitoid,Trichopoda giacomelii Blanchard (Diptera: Tachinidae) in Cambodia and Australia: Ecological, behavioural and physiological assessments.

Melissa Danks (2011)

The swamp wallaby Wallabia bicolor: a generalist browser as a key mycophagist.

Siobhan Rothsey (2006)

The effect of the earth's magnetic field and other orientation cues on direction seeking in four crustaceans (three intertidal - Amphipoda and Isopoda, one freshwater - Decapoda).

Sydney Jordan (2006)

Burrowing behaviour in the Australian Mygalomorphae.

Rebecca DiODnato

Master of Environmental Science Student

Project:THE FUTURE KEEPERS: The influence of a novel/warmer environment on ant nest development

Bianca Bishop  

Coleoptera assemblage structure and morphology on Acacia host-plant species along an environmental gradient: the implications of climate change

Ariella Moser

Feasibility of using detector dogs to detect high risk plant pests.

Aimee Leatham

Invertebrates of the Little Desert: developing protocols to allow Conservation Volunteers to collect and manage unique invertebrate communities.

Lucy Smith (2019)

Environmental variables driving habitat differentiation in two sympatric pademelon (Thylogale) species in northeast NSW

Sarah Silcocks (2016)

Investigation of the influence of single food plant nutrition on the fitness of two stick insect species: Dryococelus australis and Extatosoma tiaratum

Mahoba Alderah (2013)

Population genetics and stable Isotope analysis of meat ants (Iridomyrmex purpureus)

Gia Minh Hoang (2012)

Response of aphids to their host plants and artificial diets under controlled temperatures.

Thi Phuong Chi Nguyen (2012)

Thermal biology of diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella).

Dwi Ristyadi (2008)

Influence of pesticide type and adjacent crop vegetation on arthropod community structure through a soybean/sorghum cropping cycle.

Ahmed Eid (2008)

Abundance/occupancy of fruit fly assemblages: associations with decaying stone fruit under different shading regimes.

​Rowen Shee (2007)

Beetle (Coleoptera), fly (Diptera) and earwig (Dermaptera) species richness, abundance and assemblages in urban sclerophyll remnants in south east Queensland, Australia.

Ethan Towns (2020)

Hannah Smart (2019)

Ants as Dispersal Agents for Phasmid Eggs.

Sandie Manns (2105)

Seed dispersal by burier and roller dung beetles

Sigrid Mackensie (2015)

Project: Impacts of macrocyclic lactones on dung beetle larval performance

Zac Hemmings (2013)

Thermal Tolerance in Ants

Tom Mooney (2007)

Comparison of dung beetle assemblages and dung specificity between pasture and native forest on the New England Tablelands, NSW.

Michelle Yates (2008)

Ant morphology trait and assemblage structure: patterns in remnants and pasture habitat along an environmental gradient.

Katy Barstow (2008)

Leaf miner and plant faller diversity on Acacia: importance of climate, plant evolutionary history and plant traits.

Mitch Smidt (2008)

Comparison of herbivore assemblages from Acacia species on the New England Tablelands, NSW.  

Renee Ulbrich

(2020 - 2021) 

Maddison Young

(2021 - 2023)