Here’s a question you probably shouldn’t think about while eating. What is the fastest peeing animal on earth? Elephants? Lions? Horse?
According to the magazine’s recent research, there’s one surprising candidate. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: cicada. After studying urine flow throughout the animal kingdom, some scientists (preferably wearing goggles) have discovered that this tiny insect can spray pee at speeds of up to 3 meters per second. This is about three times faster than the average human.
So far so bad. But when you add that to the fact that a once-in-200-year event will soon see billions, perhaps trillions, of birds across the United States, you might start to feel a little nervous about your summer plans…
Now, is it time to hide out until the cicada storm passes? Experts say it probably is, but not for the reasons you might think…
What are cicadas and why do they come towards us?
“Cicadas are truly fascinating insects, known for their unique life cycles and unique sounds.” Dr. Elio Charita says the lead author of their urinary study. BBC Science Focus. “They belong to the order Hemiptera, are sap-feeding insects, and are found in temperate and tropical regions around the world.”
Cicadas can grow quite large, in some cases as large as hummingbirds, but in reality they really are quite noisy. In fact, their cries, clicks, and crackles are as noisy as a chainsaw.
“One of the most interesting things about cicadas is that they have a long larval stage, during which they stay underground for several years and feed on plant roots. Depending on the species, this stage lasts anywhere from a few years to 17 years. It can continue,” Charita continues.
This year, two “family members” of the so-called periodic cicadas (one emerges every 13 years, the other every 17 years) are synchronizing in some parts of the eastern United States. This is something that hasn’t happened since 1803 and will not happen again until 2245.
If you want to know more about the cicada life cycle, you can read all about cicadas in our explanatory article.
Is it time to prepare for the pee apocalypse?
Before we started buying canned goods and toilet paper in bulk in preparation for a summer spent indoors, the University of Kentucky entomologist said, Dr. Jonathan Larson, tells you BBC Science Focus Really, there’s no need to worry too much.
“For many people, the idea of a six-legged teenage insect invasion sounds like something out of a science fiction movie, but in reality, it’s a beautiful life experience, just like Mardi Gras.”
Although cicadas are large, they are harmless to people, animals, and crops.
Larson also pointed out that the cicadas found in the recent study were a species that lives in Peru and emerges every year. As a result, they spend more time feeding and urinating than the U.S. species we expect this summer.
read more:
- “Insect Apocalypse” will feature billions of cicadas. Here’s what you can expect
- Top 10 largest insects in the world
- Bugs on the brink: Why bugs are disappearing from your garden this year
“For species in the United States, we’re talking about species that feed much less as adults than some of the species studied. The periodicals here say that once they emerge as adults, it all comes down to finding a mate,” Larson says.
However, it takes a while for them to eat and pee. Charita explains that periodic cicadas have been observed to urinate on jets before. It was also captured on camera.
Another good thing (or should we call it that?) is that cicada pee is completely different from animal pee. As mentioned above, cicadas feed exclusively on the xylem sap of trees. This is the same thing that forms the basis of maple syrup. Therefore, what comes out is a sweet, watery liquid known as “honeydew.”
Despite its delicious name, we don’t recommend drinking cicada pee while walking around this summer, but at least you’ll feel a little less sick if cicada pee falls on your head during a walk.
In other words, as Larson says, “With these cicadas, you can leave your umbrella at home.” Phew.
“Please watch your step.”
So cicadas pee surprisingly fast, but that’s not really a problem. In fact, the bigger problem for Larson would be when he dies, not when he goes to the bathroom.
“They die in groups, so you get big piles of carcasses. If they get stepped on, they can make sidewalks slippery. I think it’s a bigger liquid nightmare,” Larson says.
How bad could this be? In 1990, there was a report as follows. Chigoan has to use a snow shovel to remove dead insects from the sidewalk.
To make matters worse, billions of bugs die and rot at the same time, leaving a terrible stench in the air. Several people explained this. Hmm, a unique smell like rotten nuts.
On the positive side, this process returns many nutrients, including nitrogen, to the ground. So, while they may stink, they benefit the ecosystems they end up in.
How cicada pee can help build future robots
The fact that cicadas urinate in such powerful jets was surprising for two reasons, Charita said.
- Most insects do not urinate because it takes a lot of energy to urinate in a jet like larger animals do. Instead, they are excreted as droplets. Cicadas in particular feed on tree sap, which has little nutritional value, making their energetic eviction even more troublesome.
- Not only is jet peeing less energy efficient, previous research suggested it would be impossible for animals weighing less than 1 kilogram because their orifices are too small to produce a dense jet.
Understanding this process is important for several reasons. Especially since cicada populations number in the trillions and the impact their excrement has on the environment can be significant.
“We still don’t fully understand the ecological impact of cicada excretion on surrounding flora and fauna, especially in the case of periodic cicadas,” Charita says.
When feeding, cicadas can consume 300 times their body weight in sap each day, and all that sap has to go somewhere.
But the team also has other applications for this research in mind. The knowledge gained could be useful for manufacturing jets and nozzles for small robots, and could also be applied to additive manufacturing and possibly drug delivery.
“Our study highlights the importance of studying seemingly mundane aspects of animal biology, such as excretion,” concludes Charita. “Investigating these processes can reveal interesting adaptations and provide insight into how animals interact with their environments.
“It also reminds us that there is still much to discover about the natural world, even in the most unexpected places.”
About our experts
Elio Charita He is a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University’s Microrobotics Institute. Previously, at Georgia Tech, he studied fluid mechanics to help ultra-fast invertebrates (insects, hexapods, and arachnids) perform essential biological functions (e.g., feeding, excretion, and predator avoidance). I was researching how to deal with this issue.
Jonathan Larson He is an extension entomologist and assistant professor at the University of Kentucky, providing insect expertise to those working on urban landscapes, turfgrass, nursery crops, greenhouses, and household problems. He is also the co-host of the Informative Insects Podcast. arthropod.
read more:
- “Insect Apocalypse” will feature billions of cicadas. Here’s what you can expect
- Top 10 largest insects in the world
- Bugs on the brink: Why bugs are disappearing from your garden this year
Source: www.sciencefocus.com
