Researchers at Macquarie University in Australia have identified a species of beetle that uses tools to catch its prey. GLAS.RU .
Beetles of the genus Gorareduvius often sit on the stems of the herbaceous spinifex. Biologists have noticed that both males and females scrape the resin from the leaves, carefully smearing it on their legs. However, they could not figure out why they were doing this – until recently.
The scientists examined 26 beetles in a laboratory setting, keeping each beetle with two other insects as prey – flies and ants. After the end of the hunt, they washed off the resin and repeated their experiments.
The researchers found that resin-coated beetles were more likely to catch prey than beetles without resin. The resin coating slowed these insects down and gave the beetle enough time to deliver the killing blow before its prey could escape.
The discovery that insects are able to use natural tools for hunting is extremely rare.
While tool use is often associated with intelligence, in this case it has more to do with behavior programmed into the genome.
Read the Latest World News Today on The Eastern Herald.
