Gerrit de Boer

Associate Professor
Entomology
Ph.D., University of Maryland
6026 Haworth Hall
Phone: (785) 864-4577
Fax: (785) 864-5860

Classes Taught

Biol 100: Principles of Biology
Biol 408: Physiology of Organisms
Biol 667: Chemical Cues in Sex, Food, and Fighting
Biol 716: Insect Physiology and Internal Morphology

Area of Interest and Research

My research interests center on the physiological basis of insect-­plant interactions. More specifically, my research focuses on the chemical and chemoperceptual mechanisms underlying feeding decisions by caterpillars. Many herbivorous insects feed on only a few plant species despite an overwhelming abundance of plants in their environment. Caterpillars are excellent models for studying the physiological basis of feeding behavior because of their keen sense of smell and taste and their relatively simple nervous system which is readily accessible for experimental manipulation.

My current research program is very limited due to an appointment in the University Advising Center as a Faculty Advisor.  I am no longer accepting graduate students. However, I still serve as a Co-Advisor for students doing research in the areas of Sensory Behavior/Physiology and Insect-Plant Interactions.

Representative Publications

de Boer, G. (2006). The role of the antennae and maxillary palps in mediating food preference by larvae of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta.  Entomologia Experimentalis & Applicata 119: 29-38.

de Boer, G. (2004). Temporal and developmental aspects of diet-induced food preferences in larvae of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta. Entomologia Experimentalis & Applicata. 113: 197-204.

de Boer, G. 1995. Regulatory Mechanisms of Insect Feeding. 398 pp. Co-Editor with   R. F. Chapman. Chapman and Hall, N.Y., N.Y.