psi20 Posted May 13, 2004 Share Posted May 13, 2004 are insect antennae magnetic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glider Posted May 13, 2004 Share Posted May 13, 2004 I don't think so, although I believe some are sensitive to magnetic fields. I may be wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted May 13, 2004 Share Posted May 13, 2004 I remember seeing a few documentaries saying various things about some insects being able to detect minute variations in some magentic fields; whether it's true or not I don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skye Posted May 13, 2004 Share Posted May 13, 2004 Bees magnetic particles are in their abdomen I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psi20 Posted May 13, 2004 Author Share Posted May 13, 2004 I'm doing a bug collection. When I put my finger to an antenna of a small bug, it moved away. The bug was about 2-3 times as short as the antennae. At first, the antennae moved away a lot and was very sensitive. Now it's not as much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skye Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 Probably electrostatic repulsion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 Plus moving your fingers around in the air can cause pressure differentials which some insects can quite easily detect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skye Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 I thought the insect was dead? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radical Edward Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 I'm doing a bug collection. When I put my finger to an antenna of a small bug, it moved away. The bug was about 2-3 times as short as the antennae. At first, the antennae moved away a lot and was very sensitive. Now it's not as much. to test your idea: (1) get a magnet and put that near the antenna. (2) rub a piece of perspex with a soft cloth or something like a jumper for a bit (static electricity) and put that near the antennae. I suspect that (1) won't move, and (2) will move. try it on insects that have been dead for different lengths of time too, since there might be some effects of rigor mortis, or whatever the insect equivalent is. then perhaps try on different sorts of insects. If you design the experiment carefully enough, and are patient enough, you could come up with som more quantitative results, such as distances and angles and so on, and perhaps apply a statistical study as well. do the experiments, write a little paper and post the results here That's what science is all about! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YT2095 Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 yeah, I`m with Rad Ed on this, also take into account the possibility of inducing currents into the dead beasty, rem that experiment with the copper and zinc strips and the frogs leg? so maybe in addition you could also use a dessicated insect and try that also, where there`s no liquid (and we know there isn`t metal) it`ll be difficult to get a reaction out of it, if it IS induced electric current Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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