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filler@godaddy.com
Bry catching insects on the Australian Geographic Citizen Scientist expedition to Lord Howe Island (credit: Luke Hanson)
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Research interests
Biodiversity discovery
Biodiversity discovery
Biodiversity discovery
Describing species of flies and mosquitoes new to science and providing useful diagnostic tools.
Edible insects
Biodiversity discovery
Biodiversity discovery
Exploring Australia's unique native edible insects species to improve our diets and create sustainable and nutritious insect-derived food.
Phylogeny & evolution
Phylogeny & evolution
Phylogeny & evolution
Creating robust phylogenies using genomic data to better understand evolutionary relationships.
Forensic entomology
Phylogeny & evolution
Phylogeny & evolution
Conducting behavioural and developmental studies to improve the accuracy of using insects in cases of suspicious crime.
publications
Ancient origin of an urban underground mosquito. Haba, PipPop Consortium, Lessard, Korlević, McAlister, Lawniczak, Schumer, Rose & McBride. Science 390: eady4515 (2025).
Nuclear and mitochondrial population genetics of the Australasian arbovirus vector Culex annulirostris (Skuse) reveals strong geographic structure and cryptic species. Atherton, Ambrose, Wisdom, Lessard, Kurucz, Webb & Beebe. Parasites & Vectors 17:501 (2024).
Pollen DNA metabarcoding reveals cryptic diversity and high spatial turnover in alpine plant–pollinator networks. Encinas-Viso, Bovill, Albrecht, Florez, Lessard, Lumbers, Rodriguez, Schmidt-Lebuhn, Zwick & Milla. Molecular Ecology early view 1– 17 (2022).
Aedes (Downsiomyia) shehzadae (Diptera: Culicidae) in Australia: A unique discovery aided by citizen science. Webb, Clancy, Doggett, McAlister, Williams, Fricker, van den Hurk, Lessard, Lenagan & Walter. Journal of Vector Ecology 47: 133-137 (2022).
Detection of the Japanese encephalitis vector mosquito Culex tritaeniorhynchus in Australia using molecular diagnostics and morphology. Lessard, B.D., Kurucz, N., Rodriguez, J., Carter, J. & Hardy, C.M. Parasites & Vectors 14: 411 (2021).
Edible Insects: A roadmap for the strategic growth of an emerging Australian industry. Ponce-Reyes, R. & Lessard, B.D. CSIRO, Canberra (2021).
Limited understanding of bushfire impacts on Australian invertebrates. Saunders, Barton, Bickerstaff, Frost, Latty, Lessard, Lowe, Rodriguez, White & Umbers. Insect Conservation and Diversity early view: 1-9 (2021).
Revision of the Australian soldier fly genus Antissella White, 1914, including six new species (Stratiomyidae: Antissinae). Lessard, B.D., Yeates, D.K., and Woodley, N. E. Insect Systematics & Evolution early view: 1-33 ( 2021).
Opaluma Lessard & Woodley, gen. nov: a new genus of iridescent soldier flies (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) from Australia, including seven new species. Lessard, B.D., Yeates, D.K., and Woodley, N.E. Austral Entomology 59: 467-486 (2020c).
Review of Australian Sarginae Soldier Fly Genera
(Diptera: Stratiomyidae), with First Records of Cephalochrysa, Formosargus and Microchrysa. Lessard, B.D., Yeates, D.K., and Woodley, N.E. Records of the Australian Museum. 72: 23–43 (2020b).
Generic revision of the Chiromyzinae soldier flies of Australia (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), including the first record of Boreoides Hardy, 1920, from New Zealand. Lessard, B.D., Yeates, D.K., and Woodley, N.E. Austral Entomology, 59: 302–322 (2020a).
Phylogenomics reveals accelerated late Cretaceous diversification of bee flies (Diptera: Bombyliidae). Li, Teasdale, Bayless, Ellis, Wiegmann, Lamas, Lambkin, Evenhuis, Nicholls, Hartley, Shin, Trautwein, Zwick, Lessard & Yeates. Cladistics 37: 276-297 (2020).
Taxon sampling to address an ancient rapid radiation: a supermatrix phylogeny of early brachyceran flies (Diptera). Shin, S., Bayless, K.M., Winterton, S.L., Dikow, T., Lessard, B.D., Yeates, D.K., Wiegmann, B.M. and Trautwein, M.D. Systematic Entomology 43: 277-289 (2018).
Review of the Stratiomyinae soldier flies of Australia (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), with a new genus and first records of Prosopochrysa de Meijere, 1907. Lessard, B.D., Yeates, D.K., and Woodley, N.E. Insect Systematics & Evolution Published online 28 Apr 2019 (2019).
Revision of the Hermetiinae of Australia (Diptera: Stratiomyidae). Lessard, B.D., Yeates, D.K., and Woodley, N.E. Austral Entomology 58: 122-136 (2018).
A guide to public engagement for entomological collections and natural history museums in the age of social media. Lessard B.D., Whiffin A., & A. Wild. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 110: 467–479 (2017).
Nocturnal oviposition behavior of blowflies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in the southern hemisphere (South Africa and Australia) and its forensic implications. Williams K.A., Wallman J.F., Lessard B.D., Kavazos C., Mazungula D.N., & Villet M. Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology 13:123-134 (2017).
Revision of the austral horse fly tribe Scionini (Diptera: Tabanidae). Lessard, B.D. Austral Entomology 50: 203-239 (2014).
The evolution and biogeography of the austral horse fly tribe Scionini (Diptera: Tabanidae) inferred from multiple mitochondrial and nuclear genes. Lessard B.D., Cameron S.L., Bayless K.M., Wiegmann B.M., & D.K. Yeates. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 68: 516-540 (2013).
New species of the hairy-eyed horse fly subgenera Scaptia (Myioscaptia) Mackerras, 1955 and Scaptia (Scaptia) Walker, 1850 (Diptera: Tabanidae) from Australia. Lessard B.D. & D.K. Yeates. Zootaxa 3680: 118-129 (2013).
Seven new Australian species of the southern hemisphere horse fly subgenus Scaptia (Pseudoscione) (Diptera: Tabanidae), including descriptions and a revised key. Lessard B.D. & D.K. Yeates. Journal of Medical Entomology 49: 1206-1225 (2012b).
Anzomyia (Diptera: Tabanidae: Pangoniinae: Scionini): a new genus of Australian and New Zealand horse fly, including the description of three new species. Lessard B.D. & D.K. Yeates. Insect Systematics & Evolution 43: 101-116 (2012a).
New species of the Australian horse fly subgenus Scaptia (Plinthina) (Diptera: Tabanidae), including species descriptions and a revised key. Lessard B.D. & D.K. Yeates. Australian Journal of Entomology 50: 241-252 (2011).
Incorrect report of cryptic species within Chrysomya rufifacies (Diptera: Calliphoridae). Lessard B.D., Wallman J.F., & M. Dowton. Invertebrate Systematics 23: 507-514 (2009).