I am currently working to complete my masters thesis on the effects of exposing the ultrasonic-sensitive agricultural pest moth, the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) to recordings of foraging and attacking bat calls. Thanks to Kirsten Jung at the University of Geipel for providing the recordings of Molossus molossus, Myotis nigricans, and Saccopteryx bilineata I am using in this study!
I am first assembling a de novo transcriptome using RNA-seq reads produced by sequencing messenger RNA from the brain tissue of both predator-cue exposed and unexposed adult moths. Using this transcriptome, I will then compare differential levels of gene expression in each group of moths to search for patterns of expression that may be related to the function of the tympanic noctuid moth ear and predator-related physiological stress responses in insects.