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EnglishWhich Insects Does the Behmer Lab Study?
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The Behmer Lab (the Insect Physiology & Behavior Research Group at Texas A&M, led by Spence Behmer) works with five broadly named groups of insects: grasshoppers, caterpillars, ants, Drosophila, and hemipterans — insects with sucking mouthparts. These are the organisms listed on the lab's site, and they are used across its three research areas rather than being tied to just one project.
The insects and why each fits the research
The lab describes its approach as "bottom-up," using individual behavior as a tool to understand physiological and higher-level processes, and it has more recently added sequencing approaches to study physiology. The insect list maps onto that agenda:
| Insect group | Typical role in the lab's work |
|---|---|
| Grasshoppers | Classic models for physiological ecology and nutrition — feeding behavior, nutrient regulation, and life-history trade-offs |
| Caterpillars | Herbivore physiology and plant–insect interactions, including work on Bt toxin susceptibility |
| Ants | Social insect behavior and nutritional/physiological questions |
| Drosophila | Genetics-friendly model for physiological and learning mechanisms |
| Hemipterans (sucking mouthparts) | Contrasting feeding mode for comparative studies of nutrition and physiology |
The key point is that the lab's three stated research areas — physiological ecology, insect sterol (cholesterol) biology, and mechanisms of learning — cut across this insect set. Sterol biology, for example, is relevant to any insect that must obtain sterols from its diet, while learning mechanisms can be probed in tractable species like Drosophila. The mix of chewing herbivores (grasshoppers, caterpillars), a social group (ants), a genetic model (Drosophila), and fluid feeders (hemipterans) gives the lab both ecological breadth and experimental flexibility.
How to tell whether this matches your interests
If you are evaluating the lab as a prospective student or postdoc, use the insect list as a filter:
- Interested in herbivore nutrition and plant–insect interactions? The grasshopper and caterpillar work, plus the published Bt toxin studies, is the closest fit.
- Interested in sterol/cholesterol biology? This is a lab-wide theme rather than a single-insect project, so expect it to appear across several of the species above.
- Interested in learning and behavior mechanisms? Drosophila is the most likely system, though behavior is framed as a tool throughout the lab's work.
- Interested in comparative or non-model systems? The inclusion of ants and hemipterans signals openness to a range of insect physiologies.
The lab's site notes that prospective students and postdocs can find more information through a dedicated link on the page, and it invites contact with questions — the most reliable way to confirm which insects are active in current projects, since the published insect list reflects the lab's scope rather than a project-by-project breakdown.