Biologists at Macquarie University in Australia have discovered insects that can use tools to hunt. The results of the research have been published magazine biology letters
Assassin bugs of the genus Gorareduvius often sit on spinifex grass stems. Biologists have noticed that all insects (both male and female, and even immature individuals) scrape the resin off spinifex leaves and carefully lubricate their claws with it. But it was unclear why.
The scientists rounded up 26 people who were then studied in the lab. Each insect was placed in a glass jar and offered two victims to choose from – a fly and an ant. After the hunt, the researchers removed the resin from the insects’ bodies and repeated the experiment. As it turned out, insects lubricated with resin were 26% more successful in catching prey than those that were not caught. The resin slowed down the prey and allowed the insects to have time to strike a killing blow before the fly or ant would emerge from their claws.
According to the study’s authors, this discovery suggests that insects may use natural tools to hunt, an extremely rare behavior. Often tool use is a sign of a developed mind, but in this case we’re talking more about behavior programmed into the genome.