Do Insects Use antifreeze?
Have you ever wondered why all those tiny insects out there in the ice and snow survive such low temperatures? In actual fact many of them have their very own antifreeze and internal systems to prevent freezing.
How Do Moths Keep Warm?
In cold weather insects have to stay in the sun to keep themselves warm and many have to spread their wings out to collect heat before they can fly. A moth can raise its temperature by vibrating its wings, or shivering before it takes off. The heat that the moths manage to generate by this action is conserved by hairs or tiny scales that maintain a layer of insulating air around the moth's body.
Built In Antifreeze Prevents Insects Freezing.
Those insects living in extremely cold conditions often have the ability to tolerate ice formation in their body fluids. However, most insects that have to survive the winter in cold latitudes, have to have a resistance to freezing. This is usual achieved by the accumulation of a comparatively large amount of glycerol in their bodies. Glycerol acts as an antifreeze but they also go through physical changes that allow the blood to cool down to temperatures below freezing point.
Insects Are The Most Adaptable Of All Creatures.
There are estimated to be more than ten million species of insect in the world and probably many more yet to be discovered. These insects represent as many as ninety percent of the different species on earth.
Insects Can Live In Pools Of Petroleum.
Wherever there is food available, insects have adapted themselves to the environment. They live on land and in freshwater habitats and in such widely different climates as desert and glacial areas, jungles and cold mountain areas. They survive in hot springs, stagnant water and even in pools of crude petroleum where they eat other insects that fall in.
昆虫用冷冻剂吗?
你是否曾经感到惊讶,为什么那些冰天雪地里的小昆虫在那么低的气温下还能幸存下来?事实上,许多昆虫都有与生俱来的防冻剂和内部系统以免受冻。
飞蛾怎样保温?
在寒冷的天气,昆虫们不得不呆在太阳下以保持自身的体温,许多昆虫还不得不在它们能飞起来之前展开翅膀以收集热量。飞蛾可以在起飞前通过振动翅膀或者颤抖来升高体温。飞蛾设法通过这一活动产生的热量由体毛或者细微的鳞屑保存下来,这些可以让飞蛾在周身保持一层隔热的空气。
内置防冻剂可预防昆虫挨冻
那些生活在极其寒冷环境下的昆虫通常都具有忍受其体液冻结成冰的能力。不管怎样,大多数昆虫必须得在寒冷的纬度地区活过冬季,必须得具备抗冻性。这一能力通常经由其体内大量的丙三醇累积而获得。丙三醇充当了防冻剂的角色,不过,它们也会经历物理变化,留出时间给血液以冷却到冰点以下的温度。
昆虫是适应性最强的生物
据估算,世界上昆虫有一千多万个物种,或许,还有更多的昆虫物种有待发现。这些昆虫代表着地球上90%之多的不同物种。
昆虫能在油藏中生存
只要是在有可食用食物的地方,昆虫都能让它们自己适应环境。它们生活在陆地上,淡水环境和诸如沙漠、冰川地带、热带丛林以及寒冷的山区等截然不同的气候中。还能在炎热的斯普林斯,污水甚至石油原油油藏中幸存,在那它们以掉落下去的其他昆虫为食。