applied entomology
Translating fundamental questions about reproductive evolution into practical solutions requires integrated approaches. In Southeast Asia, taxonomic bottlenecks from undescribed or cryptic species challenge species estimation and hinder surveillance for potential pest or vector species. Our lab employs integrative taxonomic approaches combining field sampling with morphometrics, DNA barcoding, and metabarcoding to resolve such cryptic diversity via scalable pipelines to facilitate biodiversity assessments (Abdul Rahman et al. 2021; Yeo et al. 2024; Neo et al. 2025). This approach can also be translated to urban agriculture and we are currently working with the Singapore Food Agency to curate a database of urban farm-associated insect communities.
Vector management
Understanding reproduction is essential for managing pest and vector populations. We study reproductive variation, mating systems and population structure in medically relevant mosquitoes (Yeo et al. 2021; Yeo et al. 2023). In particular, we study insect-microbe associations with reproductive bacteria such as Wolbachia that are relevant for vector control interventions in Singapore (Ding et al. 2020). These vertically transmitted reproductive parasites can cause skewed population sex ratios via male-killing or feminization and/or suppress vector populations by inducing cytoplasmic incompatibility (see Project Wolbachia).
Sustainable insect farming
Black soldier flies (BSF; Hermetia illucens) are often used for food-waste valorisation and sustainable protein production. BSF larvae are voracious eaters that can consume and convert nearly 70% of food waste into larval biomass of high protein and fat. We are interested in optimizing these flies to convert heterogenous urban food waste into animal feed and fertilizers by selecting for key traits that increases the adult egg production and improves larval recycling efficiency (Zhang et al. 2023; Fuhrmann et al 2025). Specifically, our research addresses how genetics, nutrition and rearing conditions affect reproductive output, sex-specific investment and long-term industrial breeding (Silvaraju et al. 2024; Zhang et al. 2025).
Loh et al. 2024. Frontiers in Tropical Diseases
Ding et al. 2020. Parasites & Vectors
Zhang et al. 2025. Insects