YACK LAB
People
Dr. Jayne Yack
Principal Investigator
Jayne is interested in animal sensory systems, with a particular focus on insect bioacoustics. Projects in her neuroethology lab incorporate a variety of approaches and methods (bioacoustics, behaviour, genetics, neurophysiology, phylogenetics) and organisms (beetles, moths, butterflies, caterpillars, earthworms).
Melanie Scallion
Ph.D. Candidate
Melanie is studying the evolution of defensive sounds in silk and hawkmoth caterpillars (Bombycoidea).
Elham Arjomandi
Ph.D. Candidate
Elham (Elly) is studying acoustic communication in bark beetles.
Leo Turchen
Postdoctoral Fellow
Leonardo is studying the vibratory landscape of a caterpillar utilizing spatial and behavioral analyses, as well as investigating the potential application of networks analysis for social caterpillars.
Will Chatfield-Taylor
Ph.D. Candidate
Evolution and function of sound production in cicadas.
Sara Khan
M.Sc. Candidate
Sara is looking at vibratory antipredator strategies in two species of group-living caterpillars: Malacosoma americanum and Drepana arcuata.
Emma Brown
M.Sc. Candidate
Emma is studying antipredator behaviours and use of vibrations to assess predation risk in the fall field cricket (Gryllus pennsylvanicus).
Michelle Léveillée
Lab/Field Technician
Michelle keeps this website up to date and helps everyone with field work.
Former students
Graduate students
Chanchal Yadav
Proximate mechanisms of larval social behaviour, with a focus on vibroacoustics and sociogenomics
Amanda Dookie
Caterpillar defense sounds and predator-prey interactions
Conrado Denadai
Vibration sensitive sensory organs in caterpillars
Carrie Sun
Do butterflies use hearing aids? Investigating the structure and function of inflated wing veins in Nymphalidae
Andras Dobai
“Can you hear me?” Investigating the acoustic communication signals and receptor organs of bark beetles
Amanda Lindeman
Acoustic communication in bark beetles with a focus on Dendroctonus species
Christian Nathan
Complex vibratory signaling and putative receptor organs in the masked birch caterpillar, Drepana arcuata (Lepidoptera)
Mathias Kaiser
Acoustics of Mountain Pine Beetle and Lodgepole Pine
Andrew Mikhail
Hearing in butterflies: Neurophysiological characterization of afferents in Morpho peleides
Laura McMillan
Neurophysiology of hearing in butterflies
Jaclyn Scott
Evolution of vibrational signaling in Hook-tip moth caterpillars
Sen Sivalinghem
Acoustic communication in the pine engraver bark beetle (Ips pini)
Jean Paul Fournier
Neuroethology of butterfly hearing
Sarah Matheson
Vibratory spacing in larvae of the dutch elm beetle
Veronica Bura
Evolution of defensive acoustics in silk and hawk moth larvae (Bombycoidea)
Ombor Mitra
Vibration sensitivity in earthworms
Alan Fleming
Acoustic communication in bark beetles (Scolytidae)
Chantel Taylor
Near-field sound reception in Monarch caterpillars (Danaus plexipus)
Katie Lucas
Neuroethology of hearing in Nymphalidae butterflies
Shannon Mahony
Structure and function of Vogel's Organ in
the Speckled Wood Butterfly (Pararge aegeria)
Sarah Brown
Clicking caterpillars: Acoustic aposematism in Bombycoidea
Undergraduate students
Emma Lockhart
Emma Kavanaugh
Sara Khan
Stephanie Guenette
Emily Huxter
Julia Craig
Jared Gaudet
Brianna Raven
Michelle Léveillée
Lyn Vakulenko
Alyssa Rochefort
Udara Kandegedara
Jordan Huffman
Terry Gall
Kyle LeMay
Courtney Young
Jaime Saxl
Chelsea Stunden
Madison Vidovic
Chelsey Blackman
Asha Toner
Colleen O’Conner
Megan Goulding
Ali Moore
Rajeet Lidhar
Cynthia Prazeres
Joel Buffam
Caitlin Preston
Corey Cougle
Amen Obasohan
Caitlin Grant
Tamara Nevills
Justin Hick
Jenn Mongrain
Sharleen Gill
Sarah Bond
Nadia Kusters
Jessica King
Antoine Hnain
Atif Kukaswadia
Karla Lane
Rebecca Lynes
Amber Dugal
Tiffany Timbers
Brett Painter
Caitlin Saunders
Anne Jose
Barbara Frei
Chris MclIhinney
Other visitors
Mairelys Naranjo
Lab Assistant
Alexis Williams
Artists Program
Mikhel Sikhand
Research Technician
Michael Forceno
Work study student
Dr. Raul Guedes
Larval Neuroethology/Acoustic Communication
Sabbatical visitor
Veronica Bura
Laboratory Technician
Animal Care
Dr. Jeff Dawson
Postdoctoral Fellow
Neuroethology of Insect Auditory Systems
Alan Fleming
Technician
Tiffany Soo
High School Co-op student
Data analysis on vibrational communication