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How ants use combs and brushes to keep their antennae clean.

submitted by ant

9 years 3 months 3 weeks ago

"For an insect, grooming is a serious business. If the incredibly sensitive hairs on their antennae get too dirty, they are unable to smell food, follow pheromone trails or communicate. So insects spend a significant proportion of their time just keeping themselves clean.

Camponotus rufifemur ants possess a specialised cleaning structure on their front legs that is actively used to groom their antennae. A notch and spur covered in different types of hairs form a cleaning device similar in shape to a tiny lobster claw. During a cleaning movement, the antenna is pulled through the device which clears away dirt particles using ‘bristles’, a ‘comb’ and a ‘brush’.

Alexander Hackmann, from the University of Cambridge's Department of Zoology, explains how this works and the potential applications for nanotechnology."

From http://motherboard.vice.com/read/ants-grooming-combs-could-hold-the-key-to-cleaning-nanogadgets ...