# Farrell Lab - Entomology at Harvard University ## Farrell Lab, 2025 ![Farrell Lab members side by side, in front of brick and leaves](/sites/g/files/omnuum6366/files/styles/hwp_21_9__1920x825/public/2025-08/2025_Farrell_Lab_group_16x9.jpg?h=57a5ca0e&itok=P3c7Scme) ## Welcome to the Farrell Lab! The idea that ecology matters to long term evolutionary change was a prominent element in the Modern Synthesis of mid-century that bridged three main areas of evolutionary study: adaptation, speciation, and evolutionary trends. Our general goal is to understand this potential interplay of adaptation and historical contingency in ecological and taxonomic diversification, as well as the marks of evolutionary history on community structure. The context of nearly all of our studies is the interaction between insects and their hostplants, ecological associates whose diversity and abundance make them the principal denizens of the terrestrial earth, and other kinds of interspecific interactions. > Instructions for living a life: > > Pay attention. > > Be astonished. > > Tell about it. > > \- Mary Oliver, *Sometimes*, 2008 ## Latest News [### Ticks on an eel? ](/news/2025/12/ticks-eel) December 04, 2025 From Entomology Today: " An electric eel donated to the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University in 1873 had two ticks embedded in its skin, making it the first known instance of ticks parasitizing a fish. But it was never documented until now... ![Kaylin Chong in front of shelves of museum specimens in jars](/sites/g/files/omnuum6366/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2025-12/kaylin-chong.jpg?h=f6d1b641&itok=ri8OjoAC) [### Harvard Magazine's 5 Questions with Brian Farrell ](/news/2025/07/harvard-magazines-5-questions-brian-farrell) July 17, 2025 For some insight into the lab, enjoy these five questions posed by Harvard Magazine's Olivia Farrar: [https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2025/07/five-questions-harvard-brian-fa…](https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2025/07/five-questions-harvard-brian-farrell-beetles) ![Harvard Magazine logotype - red title on white background](/sites/g/files/omnuum6366/files/styles/hwp_scale_small/public/2025-07/2025_news_hmlogo.png?itok=NZ_do2Wg) [### EVENT: Science Spotlight @ HMNH ](/news/event-science-spotlight-hmnh-0) November 14, 2024 Saturday, November 16, 2024, Thalles will present a new Science Spotlight at the Harvard Museum of Natural History: "How to Help a Scientist Find a New Species." Join Thalles and other inquisitive minds Saturday at 2:00pm! For more information about the... ![logo of Harvard Museum of Natural History](/sites/g/files/omnuum6366/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/hmnh_logo_sq_1.png?itok=iZYKyY_C) [ More news arrow\_circle\_right ](/news) ## Recent Lab Publications Download 4 citations download- [BibTeX](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=4&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters=&&&format=bibtex) - [EndNote X3 XML](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=4&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters=&&&format=endnote8) - [EndNote 7 XML](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=4&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters=&&&format=endnote7) - [Endnote tagged](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=4&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters=&&&format=tagged) - [Marc](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=4&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters=&&&format=marc) - [PubMedId](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=4&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters=&&&format=pubmed_id) - [RIS](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=4&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters=&&&format=ris) ### 2026 Kim S, Farrell BD. [Tetraopes milkweed beetle genomes elucidate the adaptive basis of a temperate coevolutionary radiation](/publication/tetraopes-milkweed-beetle-genomes-elucidate-adaptive-basis-temperate-coevolutionary). Molecular Ecology Resources. 2026;26(3). doi:10.1111/1755-0998.70117 Kim S, Farrell BD. [Tetraopes milkweed beetle genomes elucidate the adaptive basis of a temperate coevolutionary radiation](/publication/tetraopes-milkweed-beetle-genomes-elucidate-adaptive-basis-temperate-coevolutionary). Molecular Ecology Resources. 2026;26(3). doi:10.1111/1755-0998.70117 - add\_circle\_outline do\_not\_disturb\_on Abstract - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](< https://doi.org/10.1111/1755-0998.70117>) - [ picture\_as\_pdfMolecular Ecology Resourc...](/sites/g/files/omnuum6366/files/2026-03/Molecular%20Ecology%20Resources%20-%202026%20-%20Kim%20-%20Tetraopes%20Milkweed%20Beetle%20Genomes%20Elucidate%20the%20Adaptive%20Basis%20of%20a%20Temperate.pdf) The coevolutionary radiation of 27 species of *Tetraopes* longhorned beetles and their *Asclepias* milkweed hosts represents a classic example of adaptive evolution driven by plant chemical defences and herbivore counteradaptations. Investigations to date... - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](< https://doi.org/10.1111/1755-0998.70117>) - [ picture\_as\_pdfMolecular Ecology Resourc...](/sites/g/files/omnuum6366/files/2026-03/Molecular%20Ecology%20Resources%20-%202026%20-%20Kim%20-%20Tetraopes%20Milkweed%20Beetle%20Genomes%20Elucidate%20the%20Adaptive%20Basis%20of%20a%20Temperate.pdf) Lourenço-De-Oliveira R, Pereira GR, Neves MSAS, Santos SDS, Ribeiro PS, Nascimento-Pereira AC, Talaga S, Pavan MG, Sallum MAM, Motta MA. [Systematics of Leonidasdeanea, a new subgenus of Wyeomyia (Diptera: Culicidae), with recognition of Wy. luciae as a valid species and synonymy of Wy. surinamensis with Wy. flui](/publication/systematics-leonidasdeanea-new-subgenus-wyeomyia-diptera-culicidae-recognition-wy). Zootaxa. 2026;5782(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5782.1.1 Lourenço-De-Oliveira R, Pereira GR, Neves MSAS, Santos SDS, Ribeiro PS, Nascimento-Pereira AC, Talaga S, Pavan MG, Sallum MAM, Motta MA. [Systematics of Leonidasdeanea, a new subgenus of Wyeomyia (Diptera: Culicidae), with recognition of Wy. luciae as a valid species and synonymy of Wy. surinamensis with Wy. flui](/publication/systematics-leonidasdeanea-new-subgenus-wyeomyia-diptera-culicidae-recognition-wy). Zootaxa. 2026;5782(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5782.1.1 - add\_circle\_outline do\_not\_disturb\_on Abstract A new subgenus, *Leonidasdeanea*, of the genus *Wyeomyia* Theobald, 1901 is established based on morphological and molecular analyses. It comprises three sibling species: Wyeomyia chalcocephala Dyar & Knab, *Wy. flui* (Bonne-Wepster & Bonne) and *Wy. luciae* Sene... Fiorentino G, Bouju V, Sosa D, Navarro nto, Barden P. [The ant genus Hypoponera (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Dominican amber](/publication/ant-genus-hypoponera-hymenoptera-formicidae-dominican-amber-1). Journal of Paleontology. 2026. doi:10.1017/jpa.2025.10213 Fiorentino G, Bouju V, Sosa D, Navarro nto, Barden P. [The ant genus Hypoponera (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Dominican amber](/publication/ant-genus-hypoponera-hymenoptera-formicidae-dominican-amber-1). Journal of Paleontology. 2026. doi:10.1017/jpa.2025.10213 - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](https://doi.org/10.1017/jpa.2025.10213) - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](https://doi.org/10.1017/jpa.2025.10213) ### 2025 Kim S, Farrell BD. [Chromosome-level genome assembly of the white-spotted sawyer Monochamus scutellatus(Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)](/publication/chromosome-level-genome-assembly-white-spotted-sawyer-monochamus-scutellatuscoleoptera). Scientific Data. 2025. doi:10.1038/s41597-025-06258-0 Kim S, Farrell BD. [Chromosome-level genome assembly of the white-spotted sawyer Monochamus scutellatus(Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)](/publication/chromosome-level-genome-assembly-white-spotted-sawyer-monochamus-scutellatuscoleoptera). Scientific Data. 2025. doi:10.1038/s41597-025-06258-0 - add\_circle\_outline do\_not\_disturb\_on Abstract - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-025-06258-0) - [ picture\_as\_pdfKim\_Farrell-2025-Scientif...](/sites/g/files/omnuum6366/files/2025-12/Kim_Farrell-2025-Scientific_Data.pdf) The white-spotted sawyer, *Monochamus scutellatus* (Say) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae),is an important vector of pinewood nematode(PWN), *Bursaphelenchus xylophilus* (Steiner and Buhrer) Nickle, in North America. While *Monochamus* species from the Palearctic... - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-025-06258-0) - [ picture\_as\_pdfKim\_Farrell-2025-Scientif...](/sites/g/files/omnuum6366/files/2025-12/Kim_Farrell-2025-Scientific_Data.pdf) [ More publications arrow\_circle\_right ](/publications)