Steering upwind

One of the people I guided last Saturday at Sungei Buloh was a certain Dr. from Switzerland. While I trained my scope on an annoying cicada whose high-pitched drones threatened to deafen the group of us (who were only made all the keener to see it), he asked if cicadas release pheromones and if they do, what are those called? I thought it a weird question, it coming from someone who was obviously educated enough to ask about pheromones. Don't all animals and insects emit pheromones... a most ancient and basic form of communication? I answered yes, but I didn't know what they are called. He then launched into a little monologue (I suspect he's recited this numerous times; he spoke so fast I hardly had time to digest what he was saying let alone think up appropriate responses) about how he and his team of scientists, back in "the lab", would synthesise the Silk moth pheromone 'Bombykol' (I recall learning that in my lectures :P) to conduct research on living specimens. He said that a single molecule was enough to excite the males. In their experiments they worked with varying amounts of the chemicals, and in many cases the males would become so atingled and dizzy with excitement that they couldn't fly straight (being given false hope, the poor chaps!). I had expressed mild interest in his works, half out of genuine curiousity and the other half out of courtesy, and he asked for my email. And just now... I received from him a dozen links, a few photos, and a very tedious-looking paper in pdf format, full of scientific and chemical jargon and graphs and figures. Very thoughtful of him, but I think I'll stick to the pretty pictures.

posted by Husky @ 12:45 AM  |