2024-01-07 06:01:21
What if the study of ants could help us fight against ticks, these little creatures that can transmit diseases. This is the avenue explored by researchers at Simon Fraser University in Canada, and which is the subject of a scientific study recently published (in Royal Society Open Science). Ticks detect the presence of ants, which are their predators, via chemical compounds emitted by the latter. Their work could lead to the development of new tick repellents.
Published on: 01/07/2024 – 05:01
1 mn
Ticks are small creatures measuring a few millimeters, from the mite family. Certain species can be vectors of viruses and bacteria, including that which causes Lyme disease, an illness that can cause joint and neurological disorders in particular.
The researchers were interested in the behavior of a species common in North America, which like its European cousin, often lives in the undergrowth; However, it is also the habitat of one of its predators, the ant, in this case, a species common in Canada, called formica oreas.
They wanted to know how the tick was trying to escape. Ants are known to broadcast chemical signals to coordinate collective tasks, such as nest defense or transporting food. Other potential prey of ants such as spiders or certain flies manage to detect these signals. What if this was also the case for ticks?
This is what the scientists wanted to verify. They placed several ticks in a box leading via short tunnels to two other boxes; in one, the ground was soaked in these chemical compounds emitted by the ants; in the other, the ground was neutral, and this is where most of the ticks took refuge.
Next step for researchers: testing a tick repellent that can be used by humans, which would contain these famous chemical compounds.
Also read: Lyme disease, a disease that is still poorly diagnosed
#Ant #chemistry #lethal #weapon #ticks