Smells in the life of insects. Chemical sense organs: smell and taste in insects Which insect has the most acute sense of smell

Insects have an exceptionally sensitive sense of smell, thanks to which they can not only recognize from a few scent molecules where a treat awaits them, but also communicate with each other using sophisticated chemical signals. And, given the role of smells in their lives, one could assume that insects acquired an olfactory system as soon as they left the water on land. However, according to researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology (Germany), insects developed a full sense of smell unexpectedly late - somewhere simultaneously with the ability to fly. Special receptor proteins are responsible for the sense of smell in insects (as, indeed, in all animals with this sense): when added together, they form complex complexes capable of capturing even single molecules of volatile substances.

However, for example, crustaceans, which descended from a common ancestor with insects, do not have such receptors. This led to the assumption that the insects “smelled what it smelled” only when they came onto land. In addition, outside the water, it was really more important for them to create an olfactory system to replace the chemical sense with which they navigated in the water and which now became useless: from now on, chemicals had to be caught in the air. The sense of smell in insects has always been studied either winged species, or on those who subsequently lost their wings (both of them, however, constitute the majority among modern insects). However, Ewald Grosse-Wilde and his colleagues decided to study proto-wingless insects, the oldest of modern insects. For research, they chose the bristletail Thermobia domestica and the representative of the ancient jawed Lepismachilis y-signata.

As the authors of the work write in eLIFE, the bristletail, which is closer to insects on the evolutionary ladder, had some components of the olfactory system: genes for olfactory coreceptors worked in its antennae, although the receptors themselves were absent. But in the more evolutionarily older L. y-signata, no traces of the olfactory system could be found. Two conclusions can be drawn from this: firstly, different parts of the olfactory system developed independently of each other, and secondly, the very development of this system began much later than the appearance of insects on land. Most likely, insects needed the sense of smell when they began to learn to fly, and it was needed, for example, in order to navigate in flight. However, let’s not forget that one of the oldest insects (T. domestica) still has some components of the olfactory apparatus, so that individual parts of the olfactory system obviously developed for some urgent tasks before the ability to fly.

Material overview

​​​​​​A person receives information about the world around him through vision, hearing, smell and touch. Research by scientists has shown that for a newborn child, the most important of all senses is smell, and when a person grows up, primacy passes to vision. We decided to find out which sense is the most developed in animals? Find out what significance the sense of smell of animals has for humans. Some animals have very acute hearing, others have vision. But distinctive feature Most animals have an amazing sense of smell, that is, a very sensitive perception of smells.Purpose of the work. Find out what importance the sense of smell of animals has in human life.Job objectives:

1. Study literary and Internet sources on the research topic.

2. Find out what the sense of smell is.

3. Determine which animals have the most acute sense of smell.

4. Conduct an experiment to study the acuity of smell in animals.

5. Find out how people use their pets' keen sense of smell.

Hypothesis:

Animals' sense of smell helps humans.

Research methods:

Studying literature and Internet resources on the research topic

Method of observing living objects

Analysis of the results obtained

Student Survey different ages on the research topic

Theoretical part

1.What is the sense of smell

The sense of smell is the ability to perceive particles of odorous substances using special sensitive cells. In higher animals, the nose is the organ of smell. Fish do not have a nose, but openings - the nostrils - lead into olfactory sacs dotted with sensitive cells. Such cells are called receptors. Olfactory receptors have 10-12 cilia. The cilia move and push air with particles of odorous substance into the olfactory organ. In the receptor, under the influence of odorous particles, a nerve impulse is formed, which runs through the nerves, like current through wires, to the brain. There is a special olfactory zone in the brain where information from all olfactory receptors flows. The brain analyzes information and forms a response. For example: the olfactory receptors of the dog’s nose caught the smell of the owner going up the stairs. The brain gives a command to the dog's legs, and it runs to the door to meet the owner.The sense of smell is developed in most animals, but to varying degrees. Based on the sensitivity of smell among mammals, three groups can be distinguished:

Macrosomatics - their sense of smell is very well developed (dogs, rats, cats and other animals)

Microsomatics - the sense of smell is much less developed compared to the first group (seals, baleen whales, primates, which includes humans)

Anosomatic - no olfactory organs (toothed whales)

Cats and dogs are pronounced macrosomatics. The owners of these animals tell amazing stories about sensitivity to odors in their pets. The cat of the director of this work has never been outside. While walking on the second floor balcony, she fell down. When the owner came home, she did not find the cat. For a whole week she was homesick without her pet. Suddenly in the evening I heard meowing and scratching outside the door. Opening the door, she saw a dirty, emaciated, but happy cat on the threshold, which, with a loud purr, began to rub against the legs of its owner. The balcony faced the opposite side of the door. The house had six entrances, the apartment was located in the second entrance on the second floor. How could a cat find the right entrance and the right door? Only by the smell, because she never went out through the door onto the street. And another one amazing story. In the family of a disabled man there lived a cat and a cat. He was bedridden, and his wife worked long hours and came home at different times. She arrived by bus and walked exactly five minutes from the stop. The cats sensed their owner's approach from the minute she got off the bus. They raced to the door and took a wait-and-see attitude. Exactly five minutes later the hostess appeared. You could set your watch by looking at the animals. The owner always knew that his wife was approaching the house by the behavior of her pets.

2. Why do animals need smell?

The sense of smell plays a huge role in the lives of animals.

1. With the help of smell, many animals search for and select food.

2. Predators track prey by smell

3. Ungulates and rodents smell the enemy and flee or hide in burrows

4. With the help of smells, animals communicate, determine the boundaries of their territory, and find each other during the breeding season.

Not only higher animals have a developed sense of smell. Many insects are also different in this way. Olfactory receptors are located on their antennae and paws. The sensitivity of some insects is amazing. An example of a level of sensitivity so far unsurpassed is the “olfactory locator” of the silkworm. The fluffy antennae of the male catch in the air single molecules of a substance secreted by the female 10 km away. Insects such as ants leave scent trails to help their fellows find a food source, and when in danger, they leave the “smell of death.” Ants also determine the shape of objects by smell. Among birds, the New Zealand kiwi bird uses its sense of smell, which with its long nose “sniffs out” insects, worms, etc. Fish use their smell to navigate the water and migrate from rivers to seas and vice versa. A shark can smell blood in the water several kilometers away.

4.The sense of smell of animals in the service of humans

Often to an ordinary person to cope with a particular situation, you need to have special, unique abilities. And people solve such problems with the help of their little brothers.Nature has not been very generous to humans as far as the sense of smell is concerned. But in dogs this sense is developed, about 12 times more and much sharper than that of us “homosapiens” and some mammals living on Earth.Probably, many of you have watched the cartoon “The Cat Who Walked By Itself”, a film adaptation of one of the fairy tales of the famous writer Kipling. The story clearly and clearly shows how ancient man began to “cooperate” for his own benefit with many animals. And one of the first who began to serve people was a dog. Our ancestors noticed that the dog has a highly developed sense of smell, as well as hearing and vision. She has, among other things, excellent endurance and extreme fighting qualities: this is someone you can hunt and hike with for months. Moreover, not a single creature living on Earth can be trained as strongly and quickly as a dog.Man widely uses animals with a keen sense of smell to perform various types of work in which this sense is necessary. This is how animals acquire “professions” and help humans. Most often, dogs do work for humans. There are several reasons for this:

dogs have a very good sense of smell

dogs are easy to train

dogs are loyal to their owner

Let's look at some of the professions of dogs:

Hunting dogs

Chasing prey or participating, for example, in baiting hares. Dogs either rely on scents released through the air by animals or focus on scents from their tracks. In the first case, the dog usually does not exactly repeat the path of its victim - after all, the wind carries the smell to the side. Meanwhile, a dog, following exactly the trail of a hare, reacts, of course, not only to the spirit of the animal, but also to the odors that arise when the hare's paws come into contact with grass, moss and other objects. In other words, the smell of vegetation or soil is no less important for a dog than the smell of the prey itself. Most hunting breeds suitable for rounding up have an amazing, by human standards, ability to quickly recognize in which direction, for example, the tracks of a hare lead. This gift, presumably, is mostly innate and cannot be interpreted otherwise than as the ability to instantly determine in which direction the smell of an animal weakens and in which it intensifies. An experienced dog only needs to sniff the trail for just a few meters to understand the situation. This confirms the dog's ability to detect the slightest differences in the intensity of odors emanating from the pursued animal or from its tracks. True, an inexperienced dog may follow a false scent for tens of meters before it discovers the mistake. But soon she also begins to recognize the direction the victim is following.

Border guard dogs

The Russian army actively began to use dogs in border guards in the mid-19th century. Since then, day and night, regardless of the weather, dogs have been on guard duty at the border. Dogs of various breeds are raised in kennels for the search service. There are Eastern European and German shepherds, spaniels, Labradors and other breeds. However, priority goes to the East European Shepherd. She is the most convenient to work with because she is easy to train, is distinguished by strength and power, and is able to protect the owner and detain the enemy. The dog's unusually developed sense of smell is capable of distinguishing up to 12 thousand odors. Each dog has its own narrow specialization, some are trained to search for drugs, others search for weapons and explosives. For examination small spaces small breed dogs are used, inspection of the train is suitable for a shepherd dog. There is an opinion that drug-detecting dogs search for drugs. However, training is based on play and the search for a drug for a dog is an exciting procedure, the interest in which is constantly maintained by the owner. For training, a “bookmark” containing a narcotic substance is specially created.
Most of the dogs used at the border are the personal dogs of border guards. To this day, there are children's clubs where future border guards are trained and dogs are raised. The guys learn military wisdom, train their pets, and when the time comes, they serve together on the border.

Rescue dogs

The first rescue dogs appeared several centuries ago. Then their main purpose was to search for lost travelers during snow storm. For several hundred years, such dogs were bred in France in the monastery of St. Bernard by crossing Newfoundlands and Great Danes. These St. Bernard dogs are often depicted with a small keg of brandy around their neck. You, of course, ask - why? Dogs of this breed left the monastery every day in search of travelers who had lost their way, and a barrel of wine or other strong drink hung around their necks. Having found a lost and frozen traveler, they gave him warm wine to drink from a barrel so that the traveler could quickly warm up.It is impossible to count how many people the St. Bernards saved. But the most popular among them was a St. Bernard named Barry. The story about him has long become a legend. Barry sensed the approaching snowstorm intuitively more than an hour before it started, and became very restless. One day he saved a child who was deep under an avalanche, and no one even suspected that he was in trouble except Barry. Barry found the child and licked his face until the child came to his senses. Fate played a cruel joke on Barry. If you believe the stories about the legendary dog, Barry saved forty people, and was killed forty first. One day, Barry once again discovered an almost frozen man. Having dug him out, the dog lay down next to him to warm the victim with his body. When the man came to his senses, in the dark he mistook Barry for a bear and seriously wounded him. Despite the serious injury, the dog made it to the monastery, where he was treated medical care. He remained alive, but due to his wound he could no longer save people. He was taken to Bern to an animal hospital. After Barry's death, a monument was erected to him in one of the Parisian cemeteries. Huge fluffy dog captured together with a child trustingly clinging to him on a stone pedestal with a memorable inscription: “Barry, who saved forty people and was killed forty-first.” Hero dogs are now called those who helped people during hostilities. They were full-fledged fighters and took part in the search for missing people under the rubble, cleared mines, and worked as messengers. Dogs were first used to search for people under rubble during the Second World War after the bombings in Great Britain. The first centers for training search and rescue dogs appeared in the mid-50s. The dogs performed an important and responsible mission during the Great Patriotic War. Their exploits are difficult to overestimate. They have saved thousands of lives. Many four-legged warriors have gone down in history. The collie dog Dick was trained in mine detection. In his personal file there was the following entry: “Called up for service from Leningrad. During the war years, he discovered more than 12 thousand mines, took part in demining Stalingrad, Lisichansk, Prague and other cities.” But Dick accomplished his main feat in Pavlovsk. He discovered a two and a half ton landmine with a clock mechanism in the foundation of the ancient palace an hour before the explosion. After the war, Dick participated in many exhibitions. He died of old age and was buried with full military honors, as befits a hero. Nowadays, for rescue work after avalanches, to search for victims under the rubble, as well as after earthquakes and other natural disasters German Shepherds are most often used. They adapt best to extreme weather conditions and are amenable to even the toughest training. Saint Bernards specialize in rescuing climbers and skiers. If the search for the missing is carried out on land, the dog can report in three ways that it has found a person: to give a voice, to take something from the rescued person and return with help, to be between the owner and the victim. The hardest part is finding people under the rubble. The dog must clearly detect the human scent from a mass of others and detect the victim from under the meter-thick rubble. Training rescue dogs is a rather complex process. The methods are being developed by the International Rescue Dog Organization, which is located in Sweden. According to experts, it takes about a year to teach a dog to detect living people and report their location. IN Lately More and more advanced technology is coming to the aid of rescuers, but the most effective and efficient search method still remains the canine method. After all, a dog’s sense of smell and intuition cannot replace even the most innovative technologies. The four-legged rescuer is able to detect even the faintest odors and distinguish them from thousands of unnecessary ones. One rescue dog saves the work of dozens of people. And the furry rescuer’s greatest reward is the salvation of a person, or simply any living creature. And, conversely, when a dog does not find living people, it becomes depressed.

Mining dogs

If dogs with their keen senses are able to find mines hidden underground in the rubble of people, perhaps they can be taught to find minerals?

Such an experiment was successfully performed by the Finnish geologist Professor Kahma on his dog Lari. Lari managed to discover deposits of copper ore. Since 1966, our country also began to use dogs to search for minerals. Employees of the Karelian branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences, with the help of dogs, found tungsten deposits on the Kola Peninsula, nickel deposits in the Ladoga region, and others.Successful sappers: what we know about ratsA group of Belgian scientists decided to conduct experiments with huge African rats, since it is known that these animals have the same keen sense of smell as dogs. They decided to teach these funny little animals to look for anti-personnel mines, because rats are much smaller than dogs, and therefore the likelihood of a possible explosion is too small. The experiment of scientists from Belgium was a success, and subsequently African rats began to be bred specifically so that they would search for mines in Mozambique and other African territories, where, like us, after military operations many shells remained deep in the ground. So, starting in 2000, scientists used 30 rodents, who managed to secure over two hundred hectares of African territory in 25 hours.It is believed that rodent mine detectors are much more effective to use than sappers or dogs. Indeed, two hundred square meters A rat can cover a territory in twenty minutes, while a person will need 1,500 minutes for search work. Yes, and dogs are excellent mine detectors, but they are very expensive for the state (maintenance, services of dog handlers) than small gray “sappers”.

More than just waterfowl: seals and sea lions

At the beginning of the twentieth century, in 1915, Durov V., a well-known trainer in Russia, suggested that the Navy use seals to search for underwater mines. Yes, for the leadership of the Russian Navy it was unusual, one might say innovative method. It was believed that only dogs have a highly developed sense of smell, so they can find a mine no matter where it lies. However, since the war, many explosive devices have been in water resources. And something had to be done about this. And, after all the pros of using seals in the search for water mines were studied, large-scale training of waterfowl began on the Crimean island.

So, in the first 3 months, twenty seals were trained in Balaklava, which, surprisingly, were very trainable. Underwater, they easily found explosives, mines and other explosive devices and substances, marking them with buoys every time. The trainers even managed to teach some “mine detector” seals to place special mines on magnets on ships. But, be that as it may, it was not possible to subsequently test the specially trained seals in practice - someone poisoned the “sea fighting animals”.

Sea lions are eared seals that have excellent underwater vision. Sharp eyes help these cute marine mammals find enemies. The US Navy has spent millions of US dollars training seals as part of a training program to repair a damaged site or detect explosive devices.

But in Irkutsk this year, seals were even specially trained to show how these animals can perfectly hold machine guns in their hands, march with a flag through the water, and even neutralize planted sea mines.

Guarding the world: what dolphins can do

Dolphins began to be trained as special mine detectors after war seals gained enormous popularity at one of the naval bases in San Diego. Scientists from the USSR decided to prove that dolphins, just like sea lions, are capable of benefiting people, like the smartest and bravest “special forces”

In the 60s, in Sevastopol, a large aquarium was created, where dolphins were taught to search underwater not only for mines from the Second World War, but also for many sunken torpedoes. In addition to their ingenuity and excessive intelligence, with the help of transmitting echolocation signals, dolphins are able to carefully examine the situation, everything that is going on around them. Dolphins easily found a military facility at a great distance. As skilled defenders, trained dolphins were assigned to “stand guard” and protect naval bases in the Black Sea

Practical part

II.1. Conducting a survey among schoolchildren of different ages

A cat and a dog were looking for their favorite toy, a ball, by smell. During the game, the ball was taken from the animals, quickly taken to another room and hidden on a high cabinet. When the animals entered the room, they rushed to the closet and demanded that the toy be returned to them: the dog jumped and barked, and the cat scratched the closet and meowed.

Conclusion: The sense of smell in domestic animals is well developed and allows them to search for food and toys.

Our experiment did not allow us to determine which pet has a better developed sense of smell. We resolved this issue with the help of literature. When determining the acuity of smell, two parameters are taken into account: the number of olfactory cells and the range of action. The number of olfactory cells in our subjects was distributed as follows: hamster - 12 million, rabbit - 100 million, cat - 80 million, dog - 240 million, rat - 224 million. Two animals are in the lead in the number of olfactory cells: the dog and the rat, while in rats this number is even higher. But rats can only smell over a short distance. One of the control “sensors” is based on this feature of the rats’ sense of smell. narcotic substances in an Aeroport. Cages with rats are placed next to the conveyors along which luggage passes. Rats are very sensitive to the smell of drugs and react to it in a certain way.

When the rats in all the cages become restless, as if on cue, the luggage is subjected to a more thorough check. In 98% of cases, “rat control” works flawlessly.

Considering that the rat’s acute sense of smell only works over a short distance, it is inferior to two animals at once: a dog and a cat. Thus, according to the number of olfactory cells and the range of the sense of smell, the animals were distributed as follows:

III. Conclusion

While working on our research, we learned a lot of interesting things about animals, especially pets. We have seen that for most wild animals, the loss of smell is tantamount to death, because they will not be able to track prey and will not sense the approach of an enemy by smell. As a result of the study, our hypothesis was confirmed. Animals have a sense of smell great value In human life. As a result of the research, I found out that there are animals that help humans without having a sense of smell. For example, dolphins, just like sea lions, are able to benefit people, as the smartest and most courageous “special forces”, and seals are “mine detectors”. They are called anosomatics.

Our work is relevant for all pet owners: it will help you better understand the behavior of your pets and help with training. We will definitely share our research with our classmates and other students at our school.

Many people are afraid of insects, probably because they are creepy, disgusting, strange and scary. However, despite their strange appearance, some insects have incredible abilities that can give odds to other animals and even to us humans. Despite their tiny size and simple brains, these unassuming creatures play a key role in solving some of humanity's greatest problems. For example...

10. Cockroaches

Cockroaches are perhaps the most hated creatures in the entire world. Despite this, they are also the most powerful. The mere presence of one cockroach in the house can make the strongest, most powerful people jump, run, and scream like girls.

However, most people do not know that cockroaches have great value in the medical world. A number of researchers are currently studying cockroaches for their ability to treat some of the most devastating human diseases. Scientists have discovered that cockroaches' brains contain "nine antibiotic molecules... that protect them from voracious, deadly bacteria." So what does this have to do with modern medicine? The fact is that the antibacterial molecules found in the brains of cockroaches are more powerful than the antibiotics we use today. In fact, the antibacterial properties of these disgusting bugs are far more effective than some of our modern drugs, making "prescription drugs look like sugar pills." Laboratory tests have shown that antibacterial molecules found in cockroaches can easily cure methicillin-resistant staphylococcus, a bacterial infection that is more deadly than AIDS and E. coli.

Besides their amazing healing powers, cockroaches also have the incredible ability to survive nuclear explosions. When Hiroshima and Nagasaki were destroyed by atomic bombs, the only survivors were cockroaches. However, it is important to note that this amazing ability has its limitations. When exposed to 100,000 units of radon, cockroaches still die.

9. Bees

Bees are one of the most intelligent insects in the animal kingdom. In addition to having their own sophisticated means of communication, they also have extraordinary navigational skills despite their limited vision.

It is common knowledge that honey bees can communicate with each other. They perform a series of movements called the "waggle dance" to tell each other where food is or what place is best for building a new colony. However, many people do not know that dance is very complex and incredibly advanced for such tiny creatures. Honeybees know that the Earth is round, and they take this fact into account when they learn the location of a particular food source. Apart from this, they can also calculate the angles very easily just by reading the data of their waggle dance. For example, if a bee dances in the direction from 12 to 6 o'clock, this means that food or home is located directly from the sun. In contrast, moving in the 6 to 12 o'clock direction means the bees need to "fly straight to the sun." Movement in the direction from 7 to 1 o'clock means that the bees need to fly "to the right of the sun."

In addition to communicating with each other, honey bees also navigate their surroundings through other means, such as remembering visual landmarks, taking into account the position of the Sun, and using the Earth's electromagnetic field.

8. Locust

The locust is one of the most efficient pilots in the insect world. Considered a threat by many people, these winged creatures can fly great distances without using too much large quantity energy. Over the years, scientists have studied them and learned that even if these insects do not make frequent kicks and flaps, they are able to maintain a steady pace of flight. Their ability to maintain a steady flight rate does not change even if winds and air temperatures become unfavorable. This amazing ability allows them to travel great distances without spending a lot of energy.

What's even more amazing is that locusts have the ability to twist their wings while flying. By doing this, they can maintain and even control the number of swings they make. This, in turn, helps in maintaining their flight at a constant speed. This additional feature allows them to fly up to 80 kilometers in one day without the need for rest.

7. Fireflies

The amazing ability of fireflies to produce their own light is a marvel in the animal kingdom, and a source of inspiration and joy for many of us. As a child, you probably experienced the magical feeling that comes from seeing the twilight flicker of these amazing creatures.

Another thing we humans can learn from fireflies is how to use energy efficiently. Fireflies were designed by nature to use energy without losing much of it through heat. The light bulbs in our homes use only 10 percent of their total energy to produce light. The remaining 90 percent becomes wasted thermal energy. On the other hand, fireflies' amazing bodies are designed so that they can use 100 percent of their energy to produce light. If fireflies were like light bulbs, in that they only used 10 percent to produce light and released the remaining 90 percent as heat energy, they would almost certainly burn to death.

Additionally, just like bees, fireflies can also communicate with each other. Fireflies use their ability to produce light to signal to each other that they are ready to mate. Male fireflies emit different types of flickers (each species has its own unique combination) that signal to female fireflies that they are “single.” At the same time, if the female firefly is interested in mating, she also responds with flickering.

6. Fleas

Fleas are not only harmful to your pets, but also to you and your family. Despite this, there is something about them that deserves human admiration: these insects are capable of jumping up to 150 times their own height! This may not seem very surprising if you consider this possibility from an insect perspective, but if you consider it from a human perspective, you will discover that the fleas that haunt your pets are actually incredible creatures.

Let's take the following example: the height of a certain person, let's call him Bill, is 175 centimeters. If he were a flea, he would be able to jump 263 meters into the air, thereby essentially defying gravity. Just imagine how different our world would be if we had this amazing ability of fleas. There would be fewer cars, less pollution, less costs, etc. So the next time you squash a flea, think about what it can do.

5. Dung beetles

There are two reasons why dung beetles were included on this list: feces and astronomy. It may surprise you, but these two seemingly unrelated subjects were connected by these incredible creatures.

Dung beetles lead a very disgusting lifestyle. They collect animal feces, roll it into a ball, and use it for various purposes. They can use the ball as their home, lay eggs in it, or snack on it if they are hungry. However, the amazing thing is that dung beetles have the incredible ability to roll their “dung balls” in a straight line, even at night! Intrigued by this intriguing ability, Marie Dacke, a biologist at Lund University in Sweden, conducted an experiment. She placed dung beetles in a planetarium, and observed how the insects could successfully roll their dung ball in a straight line with the help of "all the stars in the sky."

To make the experiment more interesting, Dake decided to show only the Galaxy Milky Way. Surprisingly, the dung beetles were still able to roll their precious dung balls in a straight line. Bottom line: Dung beetles are amazing recyclers and incredible astronomers.

4. Dragonflies

We humans have an amazing ability to selectively pay attention. Right now, you are using this ability to eliminate various distractions and focus on reading and understanding this list. For many years, scientists believed that only primates had this amazing ability. However, a new study has found that a certain winged creature in the insect world also has selective attention - the dragonfly.

Dragonflies have very small brains, yet they rely on selective attention to hunt. If a dragonfly sees a swarm of tiny insects, it focuses its attention on just one individual. Through selective attention, it eliminates other potential prey in the swarm and focuses solely on its target. Dragonflies are very precise when it comes to catching their prey. Their success rate is very high - 97 percent!

3. Ants

Ants have the amazing ability to always find their way home, even if they have wandered far from home in search of food. Scientists have long known that ants use various visual cues to remind them where their colony is located. However, what is interesting is how ants manage to find their way home in some places, such as deserts, where there are no clear landmarks? Dr Markus Knaden, Dr Kathrin Steck and Professor Bill Hanson from the Max-Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Germany tried to answer this question using a simple experiment.

For their experiment, scientists used Tunisian desert ants. They placed four different scents around the entrance to the anthill and made sure that the entrance was barely visible. After giving the ants enough time to associate the odors with their home, they removed the odors and then placed them elsewhere, on their own, without a nest or entrance. At the new location there were only four scents that were previously used at the previous location.

Surprisingly, the ants went to the place where the smells were located (in the same place where the entrance to the nest should have been)! This experiment proved that ants can smell in stereo, meaning they have the ability to simultaneously smell two different odors coming from two unique directions. Moreover, the experiment also proved that in places like deserts, ants do not rely on visual cues. They create a “smell map” of their environment using their “stereo sense of smell.” As long as the smell is present, they will always find their way home.

2. Wasp wasps

Ichneumon wasps are so named because of their “magical” ability to turn their prey or enemies into “zombies.” It may sound like something out of a science fiction movie, but scientists have proven that wasps are actually capable of inducing other insects into a zombie-like state. Even creepier is the fact that once the insects become zombies, the wasps can control them.

Ichneumon wasps lay their eggs inside the bodies of young moth caterpillars. The larvae inside the caterpillars survive by feeding on the body fluids of the host. After the larvae fully develop, they escape from the caterpillar's body, eating through its skin. They then create a cocoon and attach themselves to a leaf or branch. But here's the slightly creepy, but no less interesting part. The caterpillar carrying the wasp eggs does not leave the cocoon, instead of minding its own business, the caterpillar acts as a bodyguard for the cocoon, protecting it from various predators.

Researchers conducted an experiment that showed that infected caterpillars actually become "zombie bodyguards" for ichneumon wasps by putting them face to face with stink bugs. The caterpillars, which were not infected, did nothing to stop the stink bugs passing near the cocoon. In contrast, infected caterpillars defended the cocoon by knocking the beetle off the branch. Scientists don't know why the infected caterpillars protected the cocoon. However, they learned that this incredible ability of ichneumon wasps plays a critical role in their survival.

1. Bombardier Beetle

When it comes to defensive strategies in the insect world, nothing beats . This creature has the incredible ability to shoot hot mixture chemical solution strong enough to injure his enemies. The toxic mixture sprayed by the beetle can reach an impressive temperature of 100 degrees Celsius.

However, even more fascinating is the complex body design of the bombardier beetle. The fact is that both chemicals, hydrogen peroxide and hydroquinone, which this insect uses to maim its enemies, are dangerous and fatal. If not stored and mixed properly, these chemicals will cause the Bombardier Bug to explode! If it weren't for their well-designed bodies, bombardier beetles would not exist. At the end of the abdominal cavity of this insect there are two glands. They separate hydrogen peroxide from hydroquinone. If a bombardier beetle feels threatened, its sphincter muscles squeeze the right amount of chemicals into a specific part of the body, where they mix with other toxic substances. The result is a hot mixture of toxic chemicals that can cripple the Bombardier Beetle's enemies.

The most sensitive sense of smell is recorded in these insects, because the male senses the female 11 km away

Unit of quantity of substance

Butterfly, pest of things

Insect, pest

German botanist (1805-1872)

Rafting of timber in bulk

. "Shoe-eater"

Butterfly in the closet

Butterfly in a fur coat

Butterfly from grandma's chest

Butterfly from the closet

Butterfly, harmful insect

A butterfly hibernating in a closet

Butterfly being applauded

A butterfly that loves fur coats

Butterfly "wardrobe attendant"

Butterfly "fur-eater"

Harmful butterfly

Wardrobe rodent

F. aphid (from small) tiny moth (butterfly), panicle; its caterpillar, which wears furs and woolen clothing, Tinca. There are fur moths, clothing moths, cheese moths, bread moths, and vegetable moths. Moths disappear from hops and camphor. Vegetable moth, aphid, moth, broom, with which the caterpillar eats honeycombs. The smallest fish, recently hatched, molga, molka, molyava, lyavka, malga, see small. Fresh smelt is also called moth; novg. the smallest snowball. Moths smolder clothes, and sadness smolders the heart (or a person). Stuff your nose with tobacco, you won't get moths in your head! There are calluses on my teeth, my nails are swollen, my hair has been eaten by moths. Molie, molie cf. collect mole. Molitsa old moletocha aphids, moths, worms, moths. Yadyakhu... molits, crushed and mixed with dumplings and straw, in hunger. Moletochina, moleedina, egg. -poison is a place in things, in clothes, pierced by moths; damage from moths. Mole, molar, related to moths. Moth grass, St. John's wort, steppe seven-leaf plant, knoflic, Verbascum Blattaria. Molly, moly, full of moths

Timber floated down the river, not tied into rafts

Fur lover

M. in music: minor or sad mode, soft consonance, opposite gender. dur, major. Molny, related to moths

Little butterfly

A small butterfly whose caterpillar is a pest of fur, wool, grains, and plants

small butterfly

Fur Fighter

Butterfly

The story of the Russian writer A. G. Adamov "Black..."

Eater of fur coats and blouses

Rafting of timber in bulk, individual logs

Big fan of wool products

Unit of measurement of quantity of substance

Insect is a pest; units amount of substance

Fur loving insect

Unit of measurement of quantity of substance

. "fur-eater"

The story of the Russian writer A. G. Adamov “Black...”

Poisoned by mothballs

Victim of mothballs

She eats fur coats

Play by Russian playwright N. Pogodin

Pest in the closet

Butterfly “wardrobe attendant”

Loves to eat fur coats

Butterfly "fur-eater"

Butterfly - wool gourmet

Butterfly - wool gourmet

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The organs of smell and taste are both essentially chemoreceptors. The difference is that taste buds detect the presence of certain chemicals in liquids (or wet substrates), while olfactory receptors detect the presence of certain chemicals in the air, where the substances are in a gaseous state.

The organs of smell are predominantly located on the antennae, and the organs of taste are located on the oral organs. The former include distant chemoreceptors, and the latter - contact chemoreceptors. Due to the peculiarities of the perception of taste and olfactory sensations, the organs of taste and smell have some differences in structure and function.

Olfactory organs

They are special olfactory sensilla, usually of a conical or placoid (immersed) type. For the most part they are located on the antennae. (photo) Sometimes trichoid sensilla are also found among them. Bees, an insect that is very sensitive to odors, have very abundant olfactory hairs. Each worker bee antenna contains about 6,000 sensilla. And some insects have even more: for example, male butterflies Antheraea polirhemus have up to 60,000 of them.

Olfactory sensilla can be collected in pits, as, for example, in flies on the third segment of the antennae. At the base of these hairs lie groups nerve cells(neurons) numbering up to 40-60 pieces. The surface of the sensilla has many pores (10-20), through which the terminal parts of the neuron processes come into contact with volatile substances, perceiving odors.

How do insects smell?

Food olfactory signals are recognized very well by insects. Contrary to popular belief, for them there are not only the concepts of “edible - not edible,” but also more subtle sensations. Those species that feed on flower nectar distinguish aromas different colors. Other herbivores do not identify specific species by smell. flowering plants that are suitable for them as food. Thus, insects do not just accidentally find food, but purposefully go to it, smelling its smell in the air.

As a rule, what is attractive to them is not the smell “as a whole,” but its individual components. Thus, carrion beetles react to the content in the air of skatole, indole, ammonia and other volatile substances released during the decay of proteins. The dead-eating beetle senses “tempting” odors at a distance of up to 90 cm. And mosquitoes, fleas and others blood-sucking insects feel increased concentration carbon dioxide and volatile components of human and animal sweat. It is not without reason that they say that a clean person attracts mosquitoes less than one who has not taken care of his hygiene. For the same reason, decoy traps that produce heat and carbon dioxide work well against midges.

Male insects usually have more olfactory receptors than females. But this is observed not at all in connection with their more active production of food, but because of gender characteristics. The fact is that with the help of sensilla, males smell the pheromones emitted by females, and thanks to this they look for a mate for copulation. Therefore, in order to participate in the “celebration of life” and leave their genetic mark on generations, they must have a developed sense of smell.

Male butterflies sense the sexual attractants of females 3-6 km away; Interestingly, if the female is already fertilized, she stops secreting these substances and becomes “invisible” to the males. senses the presence of a sexual attractant in the air when its content there is only 100 molecules per 1 m 3, and the male Saturnia pear has the ability to smell the female as much as 10 km away. This is a record among insects for sensitivity to odors. (photo)

In a colony of ants or termites, insects distinguish the smell of their relatives from different castes, identifying the so-called foragers (these are those family members who are responsible for feeding everyone else) and coming to them for food. Some insects also emit alarm odors, by which others understand that they need to beware of something. In addition, all insects sense the “smell of death” emitted by dead relatives. And in bee hives, the queen bee emits an odor that suppresses the development of eggs in worker bees.

Insects' sense of smell not only helps them obtain food and communicate with each other; with its help they recognize representatives of other species, determine best places for masonry, etc.

Organs of taste

As already mentioned, mainly chemoreceptors, which give insects the ability to sense taste, are located on their mouthparts. But there are clusters of them on other parts of the body. For example, they are found on the front, and sometimes on the antennae or even on the! The latter allows females to determine the suitability of a particular substrate for oviposition by “feeling” it with the back of their body.

The taste organs are thick-walled taste sensilla, at the base of which lie from 3 to 5 (in rare cases up to 50) nerve cells that transmit corresponding signals to the central nervous system. Their short processes (dendrites) extend upward to the top of the sensilla, where through a special opening (pore) the nerve endings of the dendrites come into contact with food substrates. (photo)

In some insects, the structure of the sensilla is somewhat more complex than it seems at first. For example, in the Phormiaregina fly there are only three neurons at the base of the taste hairs, but they all perform different functions. One is a mechanoreceptor, that is, it responds to touch, the second detects sweet taste, and the third detects salty taste. When the “sugar” neuron is stimulated, the insect develops a reflex to expand its proboscis, since the sweet substrate is attractive to it. If a salty taste is felt, this causes the fly to lose interest in the intended food.

How do insects taste?

From the taste sensilla, nervous stimulation is transmitted to special centers of the brain, where the insect “realizes” the taste and reacts to it.

The taste reactions of representatives of the class are very diverse. They, like humans, distinguish four basic tastes - sour, sweet, bitter and salty. Moreover, the sensitivity of insects to these tastes is in fact the same as ours, and sometimes even higher. Thus, a person perceives a sweet taste if the sugar concentration in the solution is 0.02 mol/l. Bees sense it at a content of 0.06 mol/l, and the admiral butterfly Pyrameis atalanta at 0.01 mol/l.

Insects that are “accustomed” to sweet food should, at first glance, be able to distinguish it better than anyone else, but this is often not the case. For example, lactose (milk sugar) is perceived by bees as tasteless compared to the sweet nectar they consume, and some caterpillars perceive it as a sweet substance after their usual "bland" green vegetation.

Another feature of the taste of insects is that they are not fans of salty foods. They react positively to the food substrate only when the salt concentration in it is sufficiently low. By the way, insects find the saltiest ions not sodium, as they do to humans, but potassium ions.

A remarkable feature is that representatives of Insecta, it turns out, taste distilled water, which for us has no taste. And some also develop an addiction to toxic compounds. Thus, the leaf beetle Chrysolina feeding on St. John's wort plants (photo) , has a special group taste buds, which are excited by the poisonous alkaloid hyperisin contained in its leaves.