Static electricity passively attracts ticks onto hosts

England, Sam J.; Lihou, Katie; Robert, Daniel

doi:10.1016/j.cub.2023.06.021

Cited by 8 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…Furthermore, there is a growing body of experimental evidence demonstrating the behavioural implications of electroreception and the detection of weak electrical fields. This evidence includes work on spiders [5], bumblebees [3,42], honeybees [4,43], ticks [44] and hoverflies [6].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An analysis of time-varying dynamics in electrically sensitive arthropod hairs to understand real-world electrical sensing

Palmer

O’Reilly

Carpenter

et al. 2023

J. R. Soc. Interface.

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With increasing evidence of electroreception in terrestrial arthropods, an understanding of receptor level processes is vital to appreciating the capabilities and limits of this sense. Here, we examine the spatio-temporal sensitivity of mechanoreceptive filiform hairs in detecting electrical fields. We first present empirical data, highlighting the time-varying characteristics of biological electrical signals. After which, we explore how electrically sensitive hairs may respond to such stimuli. The main findings are: (i) oscillatory signals (elicited by wingbeats) influence the spatial sensitivity of hairs, unveiling an inextricable spatio-temporal link; (ii) wingbeat direction modulates spatial sensitivity; (iii) electrical wingbeats can be approximated by sinusoidally modulated DC signals; and (iv) for a moving point charge, maximum sensitivity occurs at a faster timescale than a hair’s frequency-based tuning. Our results show that electro-mechanical sensory hairs may capture different spatio-temporal information, depending on an object’s movement and wingbeat and in comparison with aero-acoustic stimuli. Crucially, we suggest that electrostatic and aero-acoustic signals may provide distinguishable channels of information for arthropods. Given the pervasiveness of electric fields in nature, our results suggest further study to understand electrostatics in the ecology of arthropods and to reveal unknown ecological relationships and novel interactions between species.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An analysis of time-varying dynamics in electrically sensitive arthropod hairs to understand real-world electrical sensing

Palmer

O’Reilly

Carpenter

et al. 2023

J. R. Soc. Interface.

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“…One important consequence of the polarization-based mechanism of electroreception revealed for caterpillars here is that caterpillars do not need to possess any net electrical charge of their own to be sensitive to the charge of their predators, akin to how ticks are electrostatically attracted to their hosts irrespective of their own net charge ( 42 ). This observation aligns with the finding that caterpillars do not carry a net charge proportionate to their size, as compared with other insects ( 5 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prey can detect predators via electroreception in air

England,

Robert

2024

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Predators and prey benefit from detecting sensory cues of each other’s presence. As they move through their environment, terrestrial animals accumulate electrostatic charge. Because electric charges exert forces at a distance, a prey animal could conceivably sense electrical forces to detect an approaching predator. Here, we report such a case of a terrestrial animal detecting its predators by electroreception. We show that predatory wasps are charged, thus emit electric fields, and that caterpillars respond to such fields with defensive behaviors. Furthermore, the mechanosensory setae of caterpillars are deflected by these electrostatic forces and are tuned to the wingbeat frequency of their insect predators. This ability unveils a dimension of the sensory interactions between prey and predators and is likely widespread among terrestrial animals.

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“…Recently, it has been discovered that ticks likely utilize static electric fields to transport a very short distance through the air to latch onto their hosts while questing on vegetation. However, it was shown that this is a passive process of electrostatic attraction [58]. The question of the presence of some type of electromagnetic sense in ticks is still unanswered.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Electromagnetic Radiation on Neuropeptide Transcript Levels in the Synganglion of Ixodes ricinus

Šofranková,

Baňas,

Pipová

et al. 2023

Pathogens

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Anthropogenic electromagnetic radiation is an important environmental factor affecting the functionality of biological systems. Sensitivity to various frequencies of electromagnetic radiation has been detected in ixodid ticks in the past. However, the physiological aspects of radiation effects have not yet been studied in ticks. In the presented experiment, 360 Ixodes ricinus ticks, 180 males and 180 females, were divided into 16 irradiated and 8 control groups. The irradiated groups were exposed to two different intensities of electromagnetic radiation with a frequency of 900 MHz at different lengths of exposure time. RT-PCR was utilized to determine the changes in mRNA levels in tick synganglia after irradiation. Four randomly selected neuropeptide genes were tested—allatotropin (at), FGLa-related allatostatins (fgla/ast), kinin, and arginine-vasopressin-like peptide (avpl). A significant decrease in transcript levels in all female groups exposed to higher intensity radiofrequency radiation for 1 to 3 h was found. After one hour of radiofrequency exposure, a significant downregulation in allatotropin expression in males was detected. A consistent downregulation of the at gene was detected in males irradiated with at a higher intensity. Unfortunately, the specific functions of the studied neuropeptides in ticks are not known yet, so a more comprehensive study is necessary to describe the effects of EMF on observed neuropeptides. This study represents the first report on the effects of the abiotic environment on tick neurophysiology.

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Static electricity passively attracts ticks onto hosts

Cited by 8 publications

References 42 publications

An analysis of time-varying dynamics in electrically sensitive arthropod hairs to understand real-world electrical sensing

An analysis of time-varying dynamics in electrically sensitive arthropod hairs to understand real-world electrical sensing

Prey can detect predators via electroreception in air

Effects of Electromagnetic Radiation on Neuropeptide Transcript Levels in the Synganglion of Ixodes ricinus

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