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Why use Manduca?

Manduca sexta is an invaluable tool for scientific research. It has been the subject of years of investigations ranging from behavioral studies to biochemical and genetic processes to helping model how muscles and hormones are affected by space travel. Manduca is easy and inexpensive to raise, is relatively large, has simple body systems, has a complete (and relatively fast) life cycle, and is free of the ethical issues surrounding more complex or endangered organisms. For these same reasons, they are also ideal experimental subjects for the classroom.

Research in Biochemistry

Lipid metabolism

Pheromones

Parasitism

While Manduca is an ideal chemical factory for the biochemists, it's also an excellent subject for studying the nervous system. Manduca adults are large enough for their nervous systems to be surgically altered and even wired to tiny transmitters! Manduca is also a powerful flyer. These qualities make it a promising subject for studies that use it to carry a "backpack-like" device for environmental monitoring, wireless communication, "biobot" manipulation of behavior, or combinations of these purposes.

Research in Neurobiology

Olfaction

Odor-guided flight

Electronically-guided flight

Biosensors, biomimetics, and biobots!

In research | Life cycle | The egg | The larva | The pupa | The adult