Unveiling the Hidden Ears of
Manduca Sexta Caterpillars
Embedded Files
Research Team:
PhD Candidates:
Sara Aghazadeh1: saghaza1@binghamton.edu & Aishwarya Sriram2: asriram@binghamton.edu
Advisors:
Prof. Ronald Miles1 : miles@binghamton.edu & Prof. Carol Miles2: cmiles@binghamton.edu
1 Mechanical Engineering Department, 2 Biological Science Department
Binghamton University, State University of New York
In the silence of an anechoic chamber, we dive into the mysterious world of caterpillar hearing. Through the lens of neural systems, microphone whispers, and laser vibrometer precision, we explore the hidden vibrations that may reveal how these creatures hear the world- an unfolding mystery with answers still to be discovered.
M. Sexta Caterpillars Elicit Graded Responses to Sound Stimuli Corresponding to the Intensity of the Stimuli.
M. Sexta Caterpillars Elicit Graded Responses to Sound Stimuli Corresponding to the Intensity of the Stimuli.
Jump Startle at 150 Hz-2.mp4Caterpillars Behavioral Response to Sound at 150 Hz
Jump Startle Response
Twitch at 150 Hz.mp4Caterpillars Behavioral Response to Sound at 150 Hz
Twitch Response
Freeze at 150 Hz.mp4Caterpillars Behavioral Response to Sound at 150 Hz
Freeze Response
Jump Startle at 2000 Hz.mp4Caterpillars Behavioral Response to Sound at 2000 Hz
Jump Startle Response
Twitch at 2000 Hz.mp4Caterpillars Behavioral Response to Sound at 2000 Hz
Twitch Response
Freeze at 2000 Hz.mp4Caterpillars Behavioral Response to Sound at 2000 Hz
Freeze Response
Comparison Test and Control Ablation at 150 Hz.mp4Comparison of behavioral responses of control
(sham ablated) & test subject (Abdominal long hairs ablated) to sound exposure at 150 Hz
Comparison Test and Control Ablation at 2000 Hz.mp4Comparison of behavioral responses of control
(sham ablated) & test subject (Thoracic hairs ablated)
to sound exposure at 2000 Hz
Research Highlights and Media Coverage
Research Highlights and Media Coverage
Our research explores how Manduca sexta caterpillars detect airborne sound using tiny sensory hairs on their bodies. By combining acoustics, mechanical engineering, and insect biology, we investigate the mechanisms of hearing without conventional ears and their potential applications in bio-inspired acoustic sensors and directional microphones.
Research Publications and Preprints
Research Publications and Preprints
Airborne Sound Detection in Manduca sexta Caterpillars
bioRxiv | September 2026
Research Features and Invited Articles
Research Features and Invited Articles
1. Manduca sexta Caterpillars Hear Using Hairs as Flow-Sensing Receptors
Noise News International | June 2, 2026
Authors: Sara Aghazadeh, Aishwarya Sriram, Carol Miles, and Ronald N. Miles
An invited technical article describing how Manduca sexta caterpillars detect airborne sound through mechanosensory hairs, highlighting air particle velocity detection and potential applications in bio-inspired acoustic sensing.
2. Caterpillar Twitches in an Ultraquiet Chamber Are Helping Biologists Understand How These Insects Hear Without Ears
The Conversation | September 2, 2026
Authors: Aishwarya Sriram, Carol Miles, Ronald Miles, and Sara Aghazadeh
A research feature written by our team explaining how we use an anechoic chamber, behavioral experiments, and acoustic measurements to investigate caterpillar hearing and its potential for inspiring new microphone technologies.
Research in the News – Manduca sexta Caterpillar Hearing Study
Research in the News – Manduca sexta Caterpillar Hearing Study
Major Media Coverage
Major Media Coverage
Why Does Sound Startle These Caterpillars Even Though They Don't Have Ears? — National Geographic
Read ArticleScientists Put Caterpillars in an Ultraquiet Chamber to Learn How They Hear Without Ears — WIRED
Read ArticleCaterpillars Use Tiny Hairs to Hear — Popular Science
Read ArticleHow These Caterpillars Use Their Body Hair to Listen for Danger — Nautilus
Read ArticleThese Caterpillars Hear Through Hair, Scientists Discover — EarthSky
Read ArticleCaterpillars Don't Have Ears, but They Can Still Hear Predators — Earth.com
Read Article
University and Scientific Society Coverage
University and Scientific Society Coverage
These Caterpillars Can Hear Using Tiny Hairs on Their Bodies — Binghamton University
Read Article and Watch VideoManduca sexta Caterpillars Hear Using Hairs — Acoustics.org / Acoustical Society of America
Read Article and Watch VideoBugged Out! 10 Discoveries About Nature's Little Creatures Made by Binghamton Researchers — Binghamton University
Read ArticleThis Tiny Animal's "Hearing" Could Inspire Next-Gen Microphones! — Binghamton University YouTube
Watch Video
Additional Media and Science News Coverage
Additional Media and Science News Coverage
Caterpillar Twitches in an Ultraquiet Chamber Are Helping Biologists Understand How These Insects Hear Without Ears — Phys.org
Read ArticleCaterpillars Hear Through Tiny Body Hairs, Which Could Inspire Improved Microphones — Phys.org
Read ArticleCaterpillars Hear Through Tiny Body Hairs, Which Could Inspire Improved Microphones — MSN
Read ArticleThese Caterpillars Can Hear Using Tiny Hairs on Their Bodies — EurekAlert!
Read ArticleThese Caterpillars Can Hear Using Tiny Hairs on Their Bodies — Newswise
Read ArticleThese Caterpillars Can Hear Using Tiny Hairs on Their Bodies — Eurasia Review
Read ArticleCaterpillars Hear Through Tiny Body Hairs — Mirage News
Read ArticleCaterpillars Hear Through Tiny Body Hairs — National Today
Read ArticleCaterpillars Hear Without Ears — Lingkar Bumi
Read Article
Podcast and Audio Coverage
Just A Little Duct Tape & Science — This Week in Science
Apple Podcasts | February 6, 2026
An episode of This Week in Science – The Kickass Science Podcast featuring science news, including research on caterpillars.
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