Joel D
Member
"Though less than an inch in length,the bombardier beetle is noted for its unique defense mechanism.When threatened, the insect sprays boiling, foul smelling liquid and steam from its posterior,warding off spiders, birds, and even frogs.
This beetle is equiped with a pair of glands which open at the tip of its abdomen.Each of these has a reervoir that stores an acidic compound and hydrogen peroxide as well as a reaction chamber filled with enzymes disolved in water. To protect itself, the insect can squeeze the solution from reservoirs into the reaction chambers to trigger a chemical reaction. The result? Noxious chemicals, water, and steam at a temperature of about 212 degrees fahrenheit are sprayed onto an attacker. The chambers are less than a sixteenth of an inch long, yet the beetle can change the speed, direction, and consistency of its toxic spray.
Engineers hope to use spray technology based on the bombardier beetle in car engines and fire extinguishers, as well as in medical drug-delivery devices, such as inhalers."
This beetle is equiped with a pair of glands which open at the tip of its abdomen.Each of these has a reervoir that stores an acidic compound and hydrogen peroxide as well as a reaction chamber filled with enzymes disolved in water. To protect itself, the insect can squeeze the solution from reservoirs into the reaction chambers to trigger a chemical reaction. The result? Noxious chemicals, water, and steam at a temperature of about 212 degrees fahrenheit are sprayed onto an attacker. The chambers are less than a sixteenth of an inch long, yet the beetle can change the speed, direction, and consistency of its toxic spray.
Engineers hope to use spray technology based on the bombardier beetle in car engines and fire extinguishers, as well as in medical drug-delivery devices, such as inhalers."
