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A third grader picks a Manduca sexta caterpillar from a tobacco plant.
A third grader picks a Manduca sexta caterpillar from a tobacco plant. Young students in Arizona schools study this caterpillar because biologists find it a versatile insect to investigate questions ranging from basic ecology and growth, to neurobiology and muscle physiology, among other problems. Students study the Manduca sexta in the classroom, designing experiments, writing daily entries in their journals, and even composing poetry and songs.
Credit: The Manduca Project, University of Arizona
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