Scientists from Europe have found new amazing achievements in hunting and moving ticks. It has been found that these insects can use static electricity to move considerable distances towards their prey.
The results were published in the prestigious Current Biology journal, drawing attention among the scientific community. This discovery can greatly expand our understanding of the abilities and behavior of ticks and may serve as a basis for further research in this area.
Ticks, which are parasites, are unable to move towards their prey by jumping or flying, instead they graze on tree branches and grass, stretching out their legs and waiting for a potential victim to pass by. However, experts have found another way that insects use to approach future prey.
Researchers have proven that ticks are able to travel considerable distances thanks to static electricity, which gives them more opportunities to find new victims. This discovery changes our understanding of the mechanisms of movement of ticks and may serve as a pretext for further research.
As part of the study, scientists studied the species of ixodid ticks that live throughout Europe, including Russia. These insects play an important role in the transmission of dangerous diseases such as Lyme disease, borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis.
Their wide distribution makes them the main carriers of these diseases. The study allows for a better understanding of this type of tick and how to fight them, which in turn may lead to the development of new methods for the prevention and treatment of these dangerous diseases.
In a recent experiment, researchers found that young ticks can fly through the air when they are near charged electrodes. GLAS.RU.
The scientists noted that humans and other animals have a natural buildup of static electricity. This happens when moving, when materials such as fur, feathers, or clothing become statically charged. Interestingly, this level of static charge can help ticks travel small distances of just a few millimeters or centimeters.
In the context of tick size, that’s a pretty significant distance. This discovery adds another oddity to the list of amazing adaptations and behaviors of these insects.
In the future, there may be ways to help reduce the accumulation of static charge. This may prevent ticks from moving in, but until then, traditional methods of protection against these parasites, such as the use of repellents, must be applied.
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