Cockroaches will survive even a nuclear holocaust (provided it doesn't happen when their wings are cut off), bed bug extermination is almost impossible today even with the pesticides we have because of the resistance it has developed and spider webs are 5 times stronger than steel
Cockroaches will survive even a nuclear holocaust, exterminating bed bugs is almost impossible today even with the pesticides we have and spider webs are 5 times stronger than steel - these are not myths, but real superpowers that the insects around us have! It is amazing to discover that such small creatures have such special abilities, some of which still surprise researchers and show them time and time again how diverse and rapidly developing the insect kingdom is. Here are just 5 examples that will show you what the insects are capable of.
1. Cockroaches - protected against radiation damage
Some of the superheroes in the comic stories got their powers thanks to exposure to strong radiation, such as the Fantastic Four who were exposed to cosmic radiation, but the cockroaches prefer not to mess with it and develop a power against it in advance - (almost) complete protection. In the event of a nuclear holocaust, most of these tiny creatures will not be harmed in any way, and they will not be exterminated even if there is a huge explosion that destroys all of humanity.
But to be honest, cockroaches are not the only ones who have this ability, and there are several other tiny creatures that are known to man and carry it, and it all has to do with their biology. The cells of any living creature are sensitive to radiation mainly when they divide, and the cells of cockroaches only divide when they shed their exoskeleton - a process that occurs every week and lasts about two days. Therefore only the cockroaches that shed their skeletons during times of very high radiation level will be vulnerable. For comparison, human skin cells divide every half an hour to an hour and a half, depending on their location on the body.
2. bed flea – Resistant to poisons
In 2016 it was published A study conducted at the University of New Mexico In which it was discovered that many bed bugs in the US have developed resistance to one of the most common pesticides in the world - neonicotinoid. To eliminate these resistant insects, a 1,000 times greater concentration of the pesticide is required compared to that required to eliminate non-resistant insects, and therefore scientists recommend eliminating bed bugs with other non-chemical means, for example with the help of steam.
But this is not new information at all, since over the past decades when the bed bug has spread almost all over the world, it has slowly developed resistance to pyrethroids, which are also considered very common pesticides. In 2013 14 different genes were discovered in bed flea which created biological changes in them, for example the development of a thicker outer layer that prevents poison from penetrating into their body, mutations that prevent poisons from damaging their nervous system and proteins that impair the ability of deadly poisons to move throughout their body.
3. horseradish flea beetle – produces poison from plants by eating them
This striped beetle didn't just get its name - horseradish flea beetle - because it feeds on this plant and others of the cruciferous family, which contain mustard glycosides. These glycosides enhance the plants' ability to defend themselves against the attack of microorganisms, And this beetle does exactly the same thing with them, when they protect her from predators such as the seven-seven beetle - the ladybug.
These beetles literally turn themselves into a "mustard oil bomb", as they have developed the ability to prevent the secretion of these glycosides after consumption. This mechanism actually allows them to accumulate high levels of poison in their bodies, which serves as a highly effective defense mechanism that prevents madmen from even trying to approach them.
4. Spiders - constitute a factory for the production of one of the strongest substances in nature
Toughness of a material is defined according to the amount of energy it can absorb without tearing. Kevlar for example, the synthetic fiber from which protective vests are made, is among the strongest materials produced by man. Spider webs, on the other hand, are 3 times stronger than steel, and 5 times stronger than steel. What is really surprising is that the spider's webs are lightweight - one spider's web that will circle the earth will weigh less than bath soap.
It is amazing to discover that this strong and light substance is produced entirely in the spider's stomach, but how does this little insect make it? The spider assembles long protein chains that cannot be broken down in organs called "spinning nipples" which are located in its lower abdomen. To make webs the spider spits these chains out and filters them out of liquid, making them tough, and weaves them together to form a web.
5. Bees - having a strength close to the limits of the laws of physics
When you wish to take an extra suitcase with you on the plane, you will be required to pay for it, and this is because in order for the plane to stay in the air, it is necessary to prevent as many people as possible from loading it with excess weight. But nature is probably a better engineer than us, because the bees can stay in the air with a lot of excess weight without any problem.
In theory, the size and weight of the bees should not allow them to carry too much weight in flight, but the unique movement of their wings helps them fly without a problem even with excess weight. An average bee carries with it 30-100 mg of nectar, 25-50 mg of water and 16 mg of pollen during nectar collection, while its body weight is only about 90 mg. By flapping their wings at a speed of 230 flaps per second, the bees manage to hold themselves in the air and defy all the laws of aerodynamics known to man.
A few final words
Although we can crush any small insect with the sole of a shoe, if we go down to the micro level and enter the world of insects, we will discover that they have special abilities that we could only dream of and that turn them into fascinating super creatures. Although these are not the strongest creatures in nature, they are certainly among the most surprising and special, and every year scientists discover more and more new things about them. It is interesting to find out what other abilities insects have that we have not yet discovered, and whether we will have the opportunity to use them to our advantage as well.
The article is promoted content courtesy of Stop Bed Bugs - experts in bed bug extermination.
