Scientists have discovered several new species of insects! About the “killer insect from India, the insect kills children” How to recognize smoothie
At the end: “Let’s be careful, let’s forward it, inform our friends,” is a traditional addition in horror mailings. Russians regularly become recipients of such messages, forwarding them to each other, despite the fact that they realize that, most likely, this is a fake, they say, it’s better to be on the safe side. Psychologists believe that the main reason for this behavior is reluctance to think and loneliness.
From terrorists from Syria to pills from Israel
18 suicide bombers sent to Russian cities, a mass action by the suicide group “Blue Whale”, during which five thousand children were supposed to commit suicide, poisoned tangerines from Turkey, paracetamol from Israel with a wire inside, chewing gum with drugs offered to children in schools - this is only a small part of all the horror stories that are spread in instant messengers and social networks.
One of the last ones appeared in Kazan before the start of the summer holidays. School groups are actively sending out messages about the appearance of a new species of insect, from the bite of which “a person goes crazy and dies within two hours.” The message is accompanied by a photograph of a beetle with a pimply back and the caption: “Show it to the children, don’t let them touch it thinking it’s a hedgehog.” To enhance the effect, the spam kit also includes an image of a palm and fingers dotted with black holes - apparently, traces of hedgehog injections.
“This insect is a giant water bug, Belostomatidae. It grows up to 15 centimeters in length. Despite its not very appetizing appearance, this insect is considered a delicacy in some Asian countries. The bite is very painful, but not fatal. This is a tropical creature; there are no giant water bugs in our area,” says the biological encyclopedia.
The effect increases significantly if officials join in sending the message. Thus, in 2015, panic began in Tatarstan over the message about “the death of 12 children due to allergies to medications,” which came from the name of the chief physician of the State Autonomous Institution “Medical and Physical Education Dispensary” of Naberezhnye Chelny, Rafis Akhmetzyanov. It turned out that the chief physician’s secretary, having received a message from her friend on WhatsApp, decided to do a “good deed” and send it out from her boss’s office email.
On the eve of the worldwide attack of the WannaCray virus, another message appeared about dangers from the World Wide Web:
“Tell all contacts on your list not to accept the video called "Daddy Dance". This is a virus that formats your mobile phone. Beware, it's very dangerous. They announced it on the radio today. Output this msg as much as possible!”
As you can easily see, it is similar to another fake message calling for an urgent warning to family and friends about the new virus ivchetoo 225 and ivchetoo 05.
IN in this case It was not difficult to identify the source of the stuffing, but usually the authors of such mailings remain undetected. Although it is difficult to do this, according to information security expert Andrei Prozorov, it is possible.
If we are talking about instant messengers, then special protocols can be used that enhance security, and it becomes more difficult to figure out who sent it. It is necessary to use specialized software products and services that allow you to identify the emergence of new groups, new activities, new trends and hashes in social networks, and from there see who the original source was and work with him. In general, this is labor-intensive, but control and monitor social networks still necessary, says Andrei Prozorov.
So far in Russia there is no practice of bringing to justice the authors of panic messages; moreover, they cannot be found. In previous cases, the police only contacted the distributors. In November 2015, after a message about 18 suicide bombers spread panic (it is interesting that after the terrorist attack in St. Petersburg on April 3, the same message began to be sent again), representative of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs Elena Alekseeva wrote on her Instagram page that Initially, information began to spread in Tatarstan and by the end of the day reached Moscow. A day later, the police announced the arrest of the author, and later it turned out that the woman had received a message from her friend in the same way, she was simply more active than others in distributing it in online communities.
At the end of March, Anton Gusev, a participant in the television show “Dom-2”, was detained for sending out messages about 5 thousand children who were going to commit suicide one day. According to Life, some acquaintances approached Gusev in order to distribute the newsletter. It was understood that in this way it would be able to reach as many people as possible due to the popularity of the author. According to preliminary information, Gusev will not be held accountable, since he did this without criminal intent.
Mailings that evoke emotions - fear or compassion - receive maximum distribution. Suffice it to recall the message that called for taking 150 purebred puppies from the nursery, otherwise they would allegedly be euthanized. According to Pavel Afanasyev, associate professor of the Department of Psychology at KFU, the epidemic of horror stories is caused by a lack of critical thinking. When people receive messages, they are lazy to think and analyze whether the message could be true; it is much easier to click on the “forward” button.
Many experts say that the population has a low level of critical thinking. A person cannot analyze how correct the information is, perceives everything at face value and, instead of turning on critical thinking, turns on an emotional, affective reaction. The position of a mature person is to take responsibility and think, but this is more difficult than simply reacting emotionally, says Pavel Afanasyev.
The second point is, oddly enough, loneliness. By sending a message, a person feels like part of a society united by a certain idea or fear.
The launch of such horror stories is a hidden request for unity, for the elimination of one’s loneliness. A person infects another person with his emotions and understands that he is not alone, that there are other people nearby who experience similar feelings. It’s like in the cartoon about a kitten named Woof: “What are you doing here? Afraid. Let’s be afraid together.” If someone next to you is also afraid, then you are not so defenseless, because you are not alone, but you are afraid together, says Pavel Alekseev.
Online hysteria can turn into a nightmare real life. So, in Tatarstan they almost brought down the banking system, after the collapse of Tatfondbank, a message appeared calling for an urgent withdrawal of money from the banks of the republic. The Ministry of Internal Affairs announced the detention of the authors of the newsletter - they turned out to be two men, residents of Naberezhnye Chelny and Almetyevsk.
There are signs of fake information that are visible to the naked eye. If the message is replete with the phrases “URGENT!!! Tell all your loved ones!!! Repost as much as possible! Send it to whoever you can!” - most likely the message is fake. As well as messages without specifying the author, they usually begin or end with the words: “I have a friend in the police, he said that...”, “My husband’s sister works in a bank, they were warned that...”, “Teacher 2B asked everyone to report..."
Along with false messages designed to sow fear, real ones are also being spread on social networks. One of the latest, for example, is a recording from a surveillance camera of a man approaching a boy near a music school. Then it turned out that the suspicious guy was not a pedophile, as his worried parents had dubbed him, but a homeless man from Dzerzhinsky near Moscow, asking children for money for drinks. The message spread throughout Russia, and parents in every city were sure that the incident had happened in their country.
In fact, finding out the location of the incident was easy. The message does not indicate the city and number of the “musical”, but there is the name and surname of the school director who asked to distribute the video - we upload it on the Internet - and everything falls into place.
In the same way, in Kazan they were looking for the mother of the boy Gleb from the fourth entrance of house number 5 on Zarechnaya Street. It was enough to open a map of Kazan to find out that there is Zarechnaya Street in the city, but this is a private sector, and there cannot be any multi-entrance building there. In the end, it turned out that the case took place in Novosibirsk in January 2016, and the boy’s mother was found within a couple of hours. Since then, Gleb has “settled” on the Internet; people are still “looking for” him in Nizhny Novgorod, Tomsk, and Tyumen.
In the photo: This insect is a giant water bug Belostomatidae, says the biological encyclopedia. Photo nnm.me
The large family of bedbugs is surprising in its diversity. Among them there are predators, bloodsuckers, pests and completely harmless creatures. The body sizes of these creatures range from 0.3 mm to 15 cm. Insects have conquered all elements, including water. Water bugs such as smoothies and giant water bugs cannot be ignored. If giants live in tropical countries: India, Thailand, South America. The smoothie bug can be found in our reservoirs.
How to recognize smoothie
The name speaks for itself. The bug's body resembles a boat. The streamlined shape allows it to move quickly in the water. And the smooth surface makes this process easier. The insect has 3 pairs of legs. The last ones are the longest and most unusual - in the form of oars. Thanks to them, the smooth water bug calmly cuts through the water column and quickly reaches its intended goal. The appearance of the smooth water bug attracts the human eye rather than repels it. Interesting coloring, which is distributed in the correct geometric shape. Shades are present: yellow, green, light green, brown. And even pink. There are huge eyes on the head of the water bug.
Features of behavior
Interestingly, smooth water bugs can make sounds that are similar to the chirping of grasshoppers. The insect quickly rubs its front legs along the proboscis and produces a kind of singing. This water bug swims in a special way. He turns over on his back and changes beyond recognition. This strange feature helps the insect remain undetected in the water by predators such as fish. Because the smooth body of a water bug with a color matching the color of the pond is difficult to notice from the depths. The smoothie spreads its legs to the side and moves smoothly, pushing off with its fins. From the height of a bird's flight, a water bug can be confused with a plant. Therefore, birds often ignore it. At the same time, the water smoothie calmly approaches the victim, which lives in the upper layer of water, and begins to eat. However for a long time they cannot be in water. They periodically turn over and rise to the surface to inhale air. And at this very moment they risk being eaten.
In case of danger, the water bug acts like most of its relatives. He's just pretending to be dead. And when this does not help, the smoothie releases an odorous substance from unpleasant smell. In nature, such a signal is regarded as “beware, poisonous!”
Insect habitats
The smoothie bug prefers closed reservoirs with standing water. But to see it, you don’t have to go to such places. The insect may end up in a puddle or a barrel of water. And in the evening you can find him in the veranda or on the terrace. Smooth water bugs fly well. But water bugs rarely do this. Mainly to move to more suitable bodies of water in search of food. They have a weakness - they love bright light. In the evening, the activity of smoothie bugs increases. Because many insects begin to crawl out of their shelters at this time. And switched on light bulbs and lanterns cannot be ignored. For those who camp near the pond for the night, an encounter with these creatures is guaranteed.
Food preferences of the water bug
The smoothie bug is no different from other members of its family in terms of nutrition. The insect has a piercing-sucking mouthpart, and its saliva contains a nerve agent. However, like all representatives of this family. Water bugs first pierce the victim, then let in an antiseptic. Under the influence of unique saliva, all the insides quickly liquefy. The smoothie bug can calmly start eating and suck out all the insides.
Smooth offspring
The insect lays eggs, which it carefully hides at the bottom of the reservoir. They are located by water bugs on the lower part of plants. The eggs are light yellow in color. Gather into an even circle. On average, the larva matures in 2 weeks. If the water is warm, water bugs are born 2-3 days earlier. The appearance of the larvae changes throughout the summer. During this time, water bugs go through 4 molts. After each, they increase in size and change color. Leads the same lifestyle as an adult. They don't really stick together. Everyone hunts individually.
Danger to humans
Gladysh can be called an exotic harmless creature. Man is not his goal. The insect bites extremely rarely. Mainly in cases where he feels danger. Curious and fearless children often suffer from them. When they pick up a bug, they risk getting a sting similar to a bee. The poison contained in saliva is not dangerous to humans. But the bite site will be felt for a long time. Gladysh can be called more useful than harmful. The tireless water bug eats hundreds of mosquito larvae per day. Regulates the number of other harmful insects. Gladysh never attacks people first. Don't touch him and he won't touch you!
Giant bedbugs - who are they?
Fortunately or unfortunately, there are no giant waterbugs in our area. Giant water bug is an alien tropical creature. Belongs to the genus Belostoma. Reaches a length of 15 cm. The color is brown with different tints. The terrifying appearance of an insect does not mean that it is dangerous to humans. Giant water bugs have 3 pairs of limbs. The front ones are bent in the form of claws. With them, the predator grabs the prey and pulls it towards itself.
Hunting process and nutrition
Giant water bugs can be found in bodies of water with standing water. The Belostoma giant water bug prefers to hunt at night. Water bugs choose a convenient place and simply freeze. When the victim approaches, the giant bug quickly grabs it with its pincers. Belostoma's saliva contains a substance with a nerve-paralytic effect. The victim has no chance of surviving if the waterbug injection has already followed. Giant water bugs are interested in large insects, frogs, and small fish. The giant belostoma bug itself rarely becomes a victim.
Reproduction
This point requires special attention. Caring for future offspring is completely transferred to the strong back of giant water bugs - papas. The female Belostoma lays 3–4 eggs directly on the back of the male. He does this until there are about 100 pieces there. The back of giant water bugs can easily accommodate this amount. From now on, all responsibility is shifted to dad. The water bug carries them for 2 weeks. Periodically, the giant water bug rises to the surface and exposes its back to warm up. In this way, the larvae avoid the formation of mold and the accumulation of harmful microorganisms. In this form, belostoma resembles a hedgehog.
The harm and benefits of giant water bugs
There is no need to fear for a person’s life or health when encountering this water bug. Belostoma does not hunt humans. In addition, for giant water bugs, it is preferable to quickly take refuge in a safe place. However, highly persistent and curious people run the risk of being bitten. Water bugs bite like a bee or wasp. There won't be any big consequences. There will just be redness and swelling. The sore spot will calm down after a week.
On the contrary, Belostoma is considered a very useful bug. Water bugs are the only creature that can calmly deal with pests such as three-keeled turtles. They pose a great danger to the younger generation of commercial fish.
In addition, giant harmless water bugs themselves suffer from human hands. Giant water bug served in fried in Thai restaurants. The demand for such exotic dishes is quite high. Therefore, in some lakes the giant bug remained in small quantity. And on farms they are trying to breed them.
The bug is not always harmful and dangerous to health. Reckless destruction of these creatures is strictly prohibited. Even if a wonderful dish is prepared from a bug. Everything in nature is interconnected! Perhaps, in the era of global warming, such large creatures will appear in our ponds. You need to know how to meet them.
Niramin - Mar 8th, 2016
Tenrecs (lat. Tenrecidae) or bristly hedgehogs are a large family of mammals (10 genera and 24 species), whose homeland is Madagascar. Several species can be found in Central and Eastern Africa. People brought the common tenrec to the islands in the Indian Ocean - Seychelles (Mahe and Praslin), Reunion, Mauritius, Comoros.
These animals prefer places with dense vegetation and an abundance of foliage on the ground. They often settle near swamps and small bodies of water. They avoid dry areas.
The body length of an adult tenrec, depending on the species, reaches 4-40 cm, and the tail - 1-22 cm. It is covered with fur (from grayish to red-brown), coarse hair or spines. The muzzle is long, with small round eyes. Females and males of bristleback urchins look the same.
Adult tenrecs are loners and avoid social life. In search of food, animals can move far from their home - a hole dug in the ground or the hollow of a fallen tree. They are active at night.
Males and females only meet from October to December to mate. The offspring are born after about 65 days, and in one brood there are up to 20 hedgehogs - a record in the world of mammals. After 6 months they leave their mother, who raised them alone.
Tenrecs feed variedly. They eat insects, snails and worms, as well as small mammals, reptiles and amphibians. The menu also includes fresh leaves and fruits.
In Madagascar, these animals are very popular. They are valued as insect hunters and their meat is eaten. However, in the Seychelles and Reunion Islands, where they were introduced by people, they are considered pests that destroy the local ecosystem.
Photo: Common tenrec. 
Photo: Striped tenrec. 
Video: Chirping striped tenrec
Video: Tenrec family in Vallée de Mai/ Praslin island (Seychelles)
Video: Madagascar Hedgehog - Tenrec
The millions of species of insects that live on earth today play a vital role in our planet's ecosystem. Although most of them are safe, some can cause a lot of trouble for a person, and some can be poisonous and even deadly. From common ants and flies to more exotic beetles, here's a list of the 25 most dangerous insects in the world.
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1. Termites
Termites do not pose a direct danger to humans; they play important role For environment Moreover, in some cultures they are even eaten. But at the same time, baby termites can cause enormous damage to infrastructure, sometimes making houses completely uninhabitable.
2. Lice
3. Black-legged tick
Each year, the black-legged tick infects thousands of people with Lyme disease, which begins with a rash around the bite that resembles a bull's eye. Early symptoms of this disease include headache and fever. As the disease progresses, the victim begins to suffer from problems with the cardiovascular system. Few people die from these bites, but the effects can last for years after an unpleasant tick encounter.
4. Nomadic ants
The first creature on our list that is dangerous in the literal sense of the word is stray ants, known for their predatory aggression. Unlike other ant species, roving ants do not build their own permanent anthills. Instead, they create colonies that migrate from one place to another. These predators constantly move throughout the day, hunting insects and small vertebrates. In fact, the entire combined colony can kill more than half a million insects and small animals in one day.
5. Wasp
Most wasps pose little direct threat, but certain varieties, such as the German wasp of North America, grow large and can be incredibly aggressive. If they sense danger or notice an invasion of their territory, they can sting repeatedly and very painfully. They will mark their aggressors and in some cases chase them.
6. Black Widow
Although the sting of a female black widow spider can be very dangerous to humans due to the neurotoxins released during the bite, if necessary medical attention is provided promptly, the consequences of the bite will be limited to only some pain. Unfortunately, isolated cases of death from a black widow bite still occurred.
7. Hairy Caterpillar Coquette Moth
Megalopyge opercularis moth caterpillars look cute and furry, but don't be fooled by their cartoonish appearance: they are extremely poisonous.
Usually people believe that it is the hairs themselves that sting, but in reality the poison is released through the spines hidden in this “fur”. The spines are extremely brittle and remain in the skin after touching. The poison causes a burning sensation around the affected area, headache, dizziness, vomiting, sharp abdominal pain, damage to the lymph nodes and sometimes respiratory arrest.
8. Cockroaches
The cockroach is known as a carrier of many diseases dangerous to humans. The main danger of living together with cockroaches is that they get into toilets, garbage bins and other places where bacteria accumulate, and as a result, are their carriers. Cockroaches can cause many diseases: from worms and dysentery to tuberculosis and typhoid. Cockroaches can carry fungi, single-celled organisms, bacteria and viruses. And so fun fact- they can live for many months without food or water.
10. Bed bugs
A person does not directly feel the bite itself, since the bedbug’s saliva contains an anesthetic substance. If the bug is unable to get to the blood capillary the first time, it can bite a person several times. Severe itching begins at the site of the bug bite, and a blister may also appear. Occasionally, people experience a severe allergic reaction to a bug bite. Fortunately, 70 percent of people experience little to no effects from them.
Bedbugs are household insects and do not belong to the group of vectors infectious diseases, however, in their body they can retain pathogens that transmit infections through the blood for a long time, for example, viral hepatitis B; pathogens of plague, tularemia, and Q-fever can also persist. They cause the greatest harm to people with their bites, depriving a person of normal rest and sleep, which can subsequently negatively affect moral health and performance.
11. Human gadfly
12. Centipede
The centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata) is an insect also called the flycatcher, which supposedly appeared in the Mediterranean. Although other sources talk about Mexico. The centipede has become very common throughout the world. Although the appearance of such insects is unattractive, they generally perform useful work, as they eat other insect pests and even spiders. True, with entomophobia (fear of insects) such an argument will not help. Usually people kill them because they are unpleasant appearance, although in some southern countries centipedes are even protected.
The flycatcher is a predator; they inject poison into the prey and then kill it. Flycatchers often settle in apartments without causing damage to food or furniture. They love moisture; centipedes can often be found in basements, under bathtubs, and in toilets. Flycatchers live from 3 to 7 years; newborns have only 4 pairs of legs, increasing them by one with each new molt.
Typically, a bite from such an insect is not alarming to humans, although it may be comparable to a minor bee sting. For some, this may even be painful, but usually it is limited to tears. Of course, centipedes are not the insects that are responsible for thousands of deaths, but many of us would be surprised to learn that someone dies from these bites every year. The point is that it is possible allergic reaction to insect venom, but this still happens extremely rarely.
Even though scorpions do not belong to insects, since they belong to the order of arthropods from the class of arachnids, we still included them in this list, especially since black scorpions are the most dangerous species Scorpios. Most of them live in South Africa, they can be found especially often in desert areas. Black scorpions are distinguished from other species by their thick tails and thin legs. Black scorpions sting by injecting their victim with venom, which can cause pain, paralysis and even death.
Paraponera clavata is a species of large tropical ants from the genus Paraponera Smith and the subfamily Paraponerinae (Formicidae), which have a strong sting. This ant is called a bullet because victims of its bite compare it to being shot from a pistol.
A person bitten by such an ant may feel throbbing and constant pain for 24 hours after the bite. Some local Indian tribes (Satere-Mawe, Maue, Brazil) use these ants in very painful rites of initiation of boys to adulthood (which leads to temporary paralysis and even blackening of the stung fingers). During the study chemical composition poison, a paralyzing neurotoxin (peptide) called poneratoxin was isolated from it.
Also known as Phoneutria, Brazilian wandering spiders are venomous creatures that live in tropical South America and Central America. In the 2010 Guinness Book of Records, this type of spider was named the most poisonous spider in the world.
The venom of this genus of spiders contains a powerful neurotoxin known as PhTx3. In lethal concentrations, this neurotoxin causes loss of muscle control and breathing problems, leading to paralysis and eventual suffocation. The bite is of average pain, the venom causes immediate infection of the lymphatic system, entering the bloodstream in 85% of cases leads to heart failure. Patients feel wild rigor during life; in men, priapism sometimes occurs. There is an antidote that is used on par with antibiotics, but due to the severity of the damage to the body from the poison, the detoxification procedure is effectively equal to the victim's chance of survival.
African bees (also known as killer bees) are descendants of bees brought from Africa to Brazil in the 1950s in an attempt to improve that country's honey production. Some African queens have begun to interbreed with native European bees. The resulting hybrids moved north and are still found in Southern California.
African bees look the same and in most cases behave like European bees, which currently live in the United States. They can only be detected by DNA analysis. Their stings are also no different from the sting of an ordinary bee. One very important difference between the two species is the defensive behavior of African bees, which is exhibited when defending their nest. In some attacks in South America, African bees have killed livestock and people. This behavior has earned AMPs the nickname “killer bees.”
Additionally, this type of bee is known for behaving like an invader. Swarms of them attack the hives of the common honey bee, invading them and installing their queen. They attack in large colonies and are ready to destroy anyone who encroaches on their queen.
Although not generally perceived as dangerous, fleas transmit numerous diseases between animals and people. Throughout history, they have contributed to the spread of many diseases, such as the bubonic plague.
Fire ants are several related ants from the Solenopsis saevissima species-group of the genus Solenopsis, which have a strong sting and poison, the effect of which is similar to a burn from a flame (hence their name). More commonly, this name refers to the invasive red fire ant, which has spread throughout the world. There are known cases of a person being stung by one ant with serious consequences, anaphylactic shock, even death.
The second spider on our list, the brown recluse, does not release neurotoxins like the black widow. Its bite destroys tissue and can cause damage that can take months to heal.
The bite very often goes unnoticed, but in most cases the sensations are similar to those of a needle prick. Then within 2-8 hours the pain makes itself felt. Further, the situation develops depending on the amount of poison that enters the blood. The venom of the brown recluse spider has a hemolytic effect, which means it causes necrosis and tissue destruction. The bite can be fatal for small children, elderly and sick people.
Siafu (Dorylus) - these nomadic ants mainly live in East and Central Africa, but are also found in tropical Asia. The insects live in colonies that can number up to 20 million individuals, all of them blind. They make their journeys with the help of pheromones. The colony does not have a permanent place of residence, wandering from place to place. During the movement to feed the larvae, insects attack all invertebrate animals.
Among such ants there is a special group - soldiers. They are the ones who can sting, for which they use their hook-shaped jaws, and the size of such individuals reaches 13 mm. Soldiers' jaws are so strong that in some places in Africa they are even used to secure stitches. The wound may remain closed for as long as 4 days. Usually, after a Siafu bite, the consequences are minimal; you don’t even need to call a doctor. True, it is believed that young and elderly people are especially sensitive to the bites of such ants, and deaths from complications after contact have been observed. As a result, every year, according to statistics, from 20 to 50 people die from these insects. This is facilitated by their aggressiveness, especially when defending their colony, which a person can accidentally attack.
Many of us have seen bumblebees - they seem quite small, and there is no particular reason to be afraid of them. Now imagine a bumblebee that grew up as if on steroids, or just look at the Asian giant. These hornets are the largest in the world - their length can reach 5 cm, and their wingspan is 7.5 centimeters. The length of the sting of such insects can be up to 6 mm, but neither a bee nor a wasp can compare with such a bite; bumblebees can also sting repeatedly. Such dangerous insects cannot be found in Europe or the USA, but when traveling around East Asia and the mountains of Japan, you can meet them. To understand the consequences of a bite, it is enough to listen to eyewitnesses. They compare the sensation of a bumblebee sting to a hot nail driven into the leg.
The sting venom has 8 different compounds that cause discomfort and damage soft fabrics and creating a scent that can attract more bumblebees to the prey. People who are allergic to bees can die from a reaction, but there have been cases of death due to the mandorotoxin venom, which can be dangerous if it gets deep enough into the body. It is believed that about 70 people die from such bites every year. It is curious, but the sting is not the main hunting weapon of bumblebees - they crush their enemies with their large jaws.
The tsetse fly lives in tropical and subtropical Africa, having chosen the Kalahari and Sahara deserts. Flies are carriers of trypanosomiasis, which causes sleeping sickness in animals and humans. Tsetse are anatomically very similar to their common relatives - they can be distinguished by the proboscis on the front of the head and the special manner in which the wings are folded. It is the proboscis that allows them to obtain the main food - the blood of wild mammals in Africa. On this continent there are 21 species of such flies, which can reach from 9 to 14 mm in length.
You should not consider flies so harmless to humans, because they actually kill people, doing this quite often. It is believed that in Africa, up to 500 thousand people are infected with sleeping sickness, transmitted by this particular insect. The disease disrupts the activity of the endocrine and cardiac systems. Then gets amazed nervous system, causing confusion and sleep disturbance. Attacks of fatigue give way to hyperactivity.
The last major epidemic was recorded in Uganda in 2008; in general, the disease is on the WHO list of forgotten ones. However, in Uganda alone, 200 thousand people have died from sleeping sickness over the past 6 years. The disease is believed to be largely responsible for the deteriorating economic situation in Africa. It is curious that flies attack any warm object, even a car, but they do not attack a zebra, considering it just a flash of stripes. Tsetse flies also saved Africa from soil erosion and overgrazing caused by cattle.
Man came up with different methods to combat these insects. In the 1930s, all wild pigs were exterminated on the West Coast, but this only lasted for 20 years. Now they are fighting by shooting wild animals, cutting down bushes and treating male flies with radiation in order to deprive them of the opportunity to reproduce.
Ecology
It may seem that this not a living creature at all, but a toy, but it is quite real. It was recently discovered by researchers in the tropical forests of South America.
Insect size - approx. 7 millimeters, its body is golden in color and covered with orange spots and stripes. But its most amazing feature is the tuft of fur-like antennae that sticks out from its back and resembles fluffy hair. colorful trolls, toys that were popular in the 1990s:
Scientists believe that this creature is an immature insect, that is, a larva, and probably belongs to one of four families: Dictyopharidae, Nogodinidae, Lophopidae, or Tropiduchidae.
Research team from Harvard University, as well as several museums, spent a couple of weeks combing the pristine tropics of southeastern Suriname (South America) in search of new species. This mountainous area very little studied, since it is quite remote from civilization. There are very few such areas left on Earth, but they can provide many interesting species unknown to science.
Nymph of an insect unknown to science, which was discovered in the forests of Suriname
The state of Suriname is located in the northeast of South America, on whose territory there is more than 25 percent of our planet's tropical forests. This country has a relatively small population. The country's territory is 95 percent covered by tropical forest, which is suffering due to mining, road construction and dams.
During the expedition, researchers collected data on water quality and described a total of 1378 species of living beings, including plants, ants, beetles, fish, amphibians, birds and mammals.
Were discovered about 60 new species of insects, among them was a troll larva. Tropical ecologist and biologist Trond Larsen I studied the new creature for several days. He looked for common features with other larvae.
Biologist Trond Larsen during the expedition
In insects that undergo incomplete metamorphosis, the stage of the life cycle after hatching from the egg is called nymph. These insects do not pupate like butterflies.
rainbow tail, which grows from the back of the body of some larvae, is actually made of wax. Wax is produced by special glands located in the abdomen. This wax serves several functions. In some species it takes the form of a fan, which serves to repelling predators.
Rainforests of Suriname
- Larva– stage life cycle many insects, as well as some freshwater and marine vertebrates, e.g. worms, echinoderms or molluscs, and some vertebrates, for example, fish or amphibians.
The larvae of some living creatures are so different from adults that they are periodically classified as independent species.
Tick at different stages of life cycle
Some larvae have their own proper names, For example, caterpillar- butterfly larva tadpole- larva of a tailless amphibian, rat- hoverfly larva, maggot- fly larva bloodworm– comora bell larva and so on.
Rat
Some larvae are used by humans for medical purposes, For example, maggots used in the USA and Europe to cleanse wounds of pus and dead tissue. They are placed on the wound for treatment.
Maggot under a microscope
Larvae caddisflies capable of building protective shelters from any available materials. Artist from France Hubert Dupart used this feature for his own purposes and “invited” the larvae to build houses from gold and diamonds.
Larvae of some insects eaten. Mostly Asians like to feast on them, but some Europeans are also not against such delicacies. For example, cheese is very popular on the island of Sardinia in Italy. Kazu Marzu, which contains live larvae cheese fly.
