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Index of Subjects --0-789819626-1258582097=:73875 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable LOL! That is very funny! =A0 Gayle MacLean Dartmouth --- On Wed, 11/18/09, David & Alison Webster <dwebster@glinx.com> wrote: From: David & Alison Webster <dwebster@glinx.com> Subject: [NatureNS] Earwigs To: NatureNS@chebucto.ns.ca Received: Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 9:27 AM Hi Angus, Steve & al,=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 Nov18, 2009 =A0=A0=A0The earwig thread prompted me to dig out an old e-mail to another = site; pasted below. =A0=A0=A0Abundant or sparse they must feed something else. No longer abunda= nt here. DW START OF PASTE\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0=A0=A0Mar 9, 2003 =A0=A0=A0On a related note-- =A0=A0=A0Shortly after earwigs appeared in Kentville, and started taking ov= er lawns & gardens, I wondered about the feasibility of an active earwig trap, i.e. using electric shock to herd them into traps, so I borrowed some scrap electronic components that when assembled formed a variable voltage and harmless low current power supply. To observe behavior when they were exposed to shocks, I made a small chute of lucite with thin brass strips spaced such that when an earwig walked along the chute it closed the circuit. I don't recall the voltages now but, at low voltage there was no response, at higher voltage they stepped lively and at even higher voltages tiny sparks from foot hairs could be seen in dim light, there was sometimes an odor of burning protein and/or earwigs were stunned and remained immobile for ~5-30 seconds. Their behavior after being shocked and especially after being stunned, convinced me 1) that earwigs were just small people with slightly different body parts and 2) that one should not herd earwigs by electric shocks even if a trap of this kind could be made to work. =A0=A0=A0After they came to, they sat back so fore legs were free to move a= nd laboriously groomed head, antennae and front leg joints (I can't recall with certainly that mid and hind legs were groomed) apparently using fluids from the mouth. After this bath, presumably to remove materials that are released from between joints when under stress, they would resume normal posture and walk off. Yours truly, Dave Webster, Kentville END OF PASTE\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\=20 =0A=0A=0A ____________________________________________________________= ______=0AThe new Internet Explorer=AE 8 - Faster, safer, easier. Optimized= for Yahoo! Get it Now for Free! at http://downloads.yahoo.com/ca/internet= explorer/ --0-789819626-1258582097=:73875 Content-Type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <table cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0" border=3D"0" ><tr><td valign=3D"= top" style=3D"font: inherit;"><DIV>LOL! That is very funny!</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Gayle MacLean</DIV> <DIV>Dartmouth<BR><BR>--- On <B>Wed, 11/18/09, David & Alison Webster <= I><dwebster@glinx.com></I></B> wrote:<BR></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(= 16,16,255) 2px solid"><BR>From: David & Alison Webster <dwebster@gli= nx.com><BR>Subject: [NatureNS] Earwigs<BR>To: NatureNS@chebucto.ns.ca<BR= >Received: Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 9:27 AM<BR><BR> <DIV class=3DplainMail>Hi Angus, Steve & al, = Nov18, 2009<BR> The earwig thread prompted me to dig out = an old e-mail to another site; pasted below.<BR><BR> Abund= ant or sparse they must feed something else. No longer abundant here.<BR>DW= <BR><BR>START OF PASTE\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\<BR><BR> = Mar 9, 2003<BR>= On a related note--<BR> Shortly after ea= rwigs appeared in Kentville, and started taking over<BR>lawns & gardens= , I wondered about the feasibility of an active earwig<BR>trap, i.e. using = electric shock to herd them into traps, so I borrowed<BR>some scrap electro= nic components that when assembled formed a variable<BR>voltage and harmles= s low current power supply. To observe behavior when<BR>they were exposed t= o shocks, I made a small chute of lucite with thin<BR>brass strips spaced such that when an earwig walked along the chute it<BR>closed the ci= rcuit. I don't recall the voltages now but, at low voltage<BR>there was no = response, at higher voltage they stepped lively and at even<BR>higher volta= ges tiny sparks from foot hairs could be seen in dim light,<BR>there was so= metimes an odor of burning protein and/or earwigs were<BR>stunned and remai= ned immobile for ~5-30 seconds. Their behavior after<BR>being shocked and e= specially after being stunned, convinced me 1) that<BR>earwigs were just sm= all people with slightly different body parts and 2)<BR>that one should not= herd earwigs by electric shocks even if a trap of<BR>this kind could be ma= de to work.<BR> After they came to, they sat back so fore = legs were free to move and<BR>laboriously groomed head, antennae and front = leg joints (I can't recall<BR>with certainly that mid and hind legs were gr= oomed) apparently using<BR>fluids from the mouth. After this bath, presumably to remove materials<BR>that are released from between joints wh= en under stress, they would<BR>resume normal posture and walk off.<BR><BR><= BR>Yours truly, Dave Webster, Kentville<BR>END OF PASTE\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ <BR>= </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></td></tr></table><br>=0A <hr size=3D1>Ask a questi= on on any topic and get answers from real people. <a href=3D"http://ca.answ= ers.yahoo.com"><b>Go to Yahoo! Answers.</b></a> --0-789819626-1258582097=:73875--
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