A new horizon in electrostatic charge induction on hoverflies
Keywords:
electrostatic charge induction, faraday pail, C. albipila, propleuron hairsAbstract
Pollinator bees can induce an electrostatic charge on their bodies, and they can also detect the electric field surrounding flowering plants. Here we present the previously unappreciated capacity of hoverfly Cheilosia albipila to induce a charge, and we identify the part of the body used for the induction. We found that the thoracic hairs play an essential role in the charge polarity of the hoverfly. We also found that the propleuron hairs are involved in the electrostatic charge induction, and if the hairs from the propleuron area were removed, the flies were unable to induce a charge; on the other hand, even when the prescutum hairs were removed, the flies were still able to induce a negative charge.
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Copyright (c) 2021 Shahmshad Ahmed Khan, Afzal Ahmad, Muhammad Tanveer
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
