Insect Vibrational Communication [F-19-32]

Most humans are familiar with the songs of crickets and katydids. However, when we consider the vast diversity of insects, relatively few species have songs we can hear. Human hearing detects acoustic songs, which are pressure waves, but the majority of insects (<70%) communicate solely via substrate- borne vibrations. This course will cover the how, what and why of insect vibrational communication. Participants will gain a greater understanding of the diversity of life and leave with more questions than answers.

Rob Snyder’s interest in and passion for biological diversity lead him to study the processes of speciation, which is nature’s means for progress. He is an ecologist and evolutionary biologist using molecular approaches to find patterns in populations. These patterns, in turn, open new questions in animal behavior. His research in speciation looks at both the genetic diversity and the behavior diversity of insects, particularly treehoppers (Membracidae). Vibrational mating songs provide a mechanism to explain how divergent populations may split into new species, thus creating diversity.

Cap: 54