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Mon, 21 Sep 1998 09:31:43 -0700 |
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Dave General of the Phillipines wrote:
>I didn't see Layne's post but I would like to add to Garth's
>explanation. Soap is a surfactant, eg. it changes the surface tension of
>a liquid. In addition, soap also overcomes the natural repulsion of
>water by an oily substance. Thus, soapy water "wets" the normally
>waterproof exoskeleton of the insect, particularly the hairs covering
>the spiracles or breathing holes. These hairs would normally prevent
>water from entering the spiracles. The surface tension of water is not
>breached by the hairs of the spiracles. Since insects respire directly,
>that is, they cannot "hold their breath", they drown in soapy water.
>Even aquatic insects will drown in soapy water.
********
That is the best explanation I have yet seen on this topic. One hit
with a stream of soapy water, and a yellow jacket wasp turns over and dies.
Adrian
Adrian M. Wenner (805) 963-8508 (home phone)
967 Garcia Road (805) 893-8062 (UCSB FAX)
Santa Barbara, CA 93106
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* "...in the drift of the years I by and by found out that a Consensus *
* examines a new [idea] with its feelings rather oftener than with its *
* mind. You know, yourself, that is so. Do those people examine with *
* feelings that are friendly to evidence? You know they don't." *
* *
* Mark Twain *
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