Why We Must Save Ugly Bugs

If you think of insects at all, you probably see them as something to be scared of, as pests to be stomped on, or as persistent nuisances ruining a lovely afternoon picnic. For example, no-one has a good word to say about the cockroaches, flies, mosquitoes, or termites that share our homes. In several surveys, including a 2021 report commissioned by insect repellent brand Zevo and conducted by OnePoll, these creatures have been voted some of the most hated insects in America. Yet each of these bugs has a lot to teach us if we look closely enough. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Take the hated cockroach. Surely there’s nothing to admire there? Well, think again. They’re such widespread pests because they’re actually very good at…being cockroaches. At the front end, they have two antennae that are covered in tens of thousands of chemical and touch receptors allowing them to navigate by smell and touch even in pitch darkness. At the back end, there are two similar structures, called “cerci.” Although these are covered in tiny hairs that respond to the slightest air movement, perhaps caused by an approaching predator. Because a roach has two cerci, it can model the air movement in three dimensions and work out exactly where an attack is coming from. Its cerci transmit this information to its brain in just 1/20th of a second—and it’s gone. Roaches are also one of the fastest things on six legs. At top speed, they re...
Source: TIME: Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Uncategorized freelance Source Type: news