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From USA Today, yesterday... Wasps could replace sniffer dogs Trained wasps could someday replace dogs for sniffing out drugs, bombs and bodies. Scientists say a species of non-stinging wasps can be trained in only five minutes and are just as sensitive to odors as man's best friend, which can require up to six months of training at a cost of about $15,000 per dog. With the use of a handheld device that contains the wasps but allows them to do their work, researchers have been able to use the insects to detect target odors such as a toxin that grows on corn and peanuts, and a chemical used in certain explosives. The "Wasp Hound" research by Lewis and University of Georgia agricultural engineer Glen Rains is part of a larger government project to determine if insects and even reptiles or crustaceans could be recruited for defense work. That project has already resulted in scientists refining the use of bees as land-mine detectors. Through the years, Lewis and a USDA colleague, J.H. Tumlinson, discovered that a tiny, predatory wasp known as microplitis croceipes had relied on odors to locate nectar for food and hosts for its eggs — caterpillars that damage crops. While they don't sting humans, the female wasps use their stingers to deposit eggs inside caterpillars, producing larvae that eventually kill the caterpillars. The scientists also discovered that plants being attacked by the caterpillars give off SOS scents to attract the all-black wasps and that the quarter-inch-long insects could be trained to associate other odors with food and prey. "They have to be good detectors because their whole survival depends on it," Lewis said. Rains said the wasps can be trained to detect a specific odor very quickly. The researchers expose hungry wasps to the target odor, then let them feed on sugar water for 10 seconds and then give them a one-minute break. After three repetitions of sniffing and feeding, the wasps associate the odor with feeding. Since the scientists couldn't put leashes on their trained wasps, they needed a way to contain them while monitoring their reactions to odors. Enter the Wasp Hound — a 10-inch-long plastic cylinder made of PVC pipe with a hole in one end and a small fan on the other. Inside is a webcamera that connects to a laptop computer for monitoring the behavior of five wasps housed in a transparent, ventilated capsule. When the wasps detect a target odor, they converge around the vent, creating a mass of dark pixels on the computer screen. Otherwise, they just hang out inside the capsule. They can work for as long as 48 hours, then they're released to live out their remainder of their two-to three-week life span. "They're very cheap to produce and very sensitive," Rains said of the wasps. "Dogs take months to train and they need a specific handler. Wasps can be trained on the spot." Article in full Well, I've said it before and I'll say it again - let's hear it for the insects. Bees that sniff out landmines? You could train centipedes to de-activate the mine. The possibilities are endless... |
Drug sniffer wasps at airports?
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squaylor 3,737 posts
Seen 8 years ago
Registered 18 years ago -
pjmaybe 70,666 posts
Seen 12 years ago
Registered 20 years agoMike's never going to fly again!
Peej -
Enter the Wasp Hound — a 10-inch-long plastic cylinder made of PVC pipe with a hole in one end and a small fan on the other. Inside is a webcamera that connects to a laptop computer for monitoring the behavior of five wasps housed in a transparent, ventilated capsule.
When the wasps detect a target odor, they converge around the vent, creating a mass of dark pixels on the computer screen. Otherwise, they just hang out inside the capsule
That's pretty cool in a retro sci-fi kind of way..gif)
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Juninho 1,825 posts
Seen 2 years ago
Registered 18 years agothere is a joke here involving drugs/wasps and "the buzz" but I'm too tired to think of it -
squaylor 3,737 posts
Seen 8 years ago
Registered 18 years agopart of a larger government project to determine if insects and even reptiles or crustaceans could be recruited for defense work.
This can only lead to an army of dinosaur superwasps. Which on balance, cannot be a bad idea. I'd also like to see crustaceans doing their bit - as quite frankly they haven't been up to much so far. Maybe the Coastguard could use a similar gadget, but with shrimps, or something. -
pjmaybe 70,666 posts
Seen 12 years ago
Registered 20 years ago(Oh well if I don't say it someone else will)
I for one welcome our new wasp-drug-sniffing overlords!
Peej -
smoothpete 37,743 posts
Seen 7 hours ago
Registered 17 years ago0_o
It's like the Flintstones! -
smoothpete 37,743 posts
Seen 7 hours ago
Registered 17 years agosquaylor wrote:
I disagree strongly with this statement. I don't trust any animal that you can't kill with a tank
part of a larger government project to determine if insects and even reptiles or crustaceans could be recruited for defense work.
This can only lead to an army of dinosaur superwasps. Which on balance, cannot be a bad idea. -
jellyhead 24,355 posts
Seen 2 weeks ago
Registered 18 years agoIf one got out and you swatted it would they charge you with killing an Officer?
Terrorists and Drug smugglers will just retaliate with a tube full of Velvet Ants or Spiderwasps. -
GTBurns 1,772 posts
Seen 9 years ago
Registered 18 years agoCan just imagine the scene:
"We've lost Buzz! The target has taken Buzz out!!!"
*OMG!*
"The target has now produced a can of insect repellent from his travel bag and we have four... no, five... make that six... ok, seven officers down, the bastard!"
*OK PEOPLE - ready the Africanized bee SWAT Team*
Edited by GTBurns at 10:49:30 06-12-2005 -
Juninho 1,825 posts
Seen 2 years ago
Registered 18 years agoJAM SMUGGLER CAPTURED -
smoothpete 37,743 posts
Seen 7 hours ago
Registered 17 years agoThey'd certainly cut down on people smuggling things in their rectums. The prospect of an arse full of angry wasps would put me right off -
Baronen 579 posts
Seen 3 days ago
Registered 17 years agoBah, I'll still use cows to clear out my minefields, that's for sure. -
jellyhead 24,355 posts
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Registered 18 years agoWear Fly-Paper pants or UV pants.
"Officer down, Officer down. OMFG! He's torn one of his own wings off to escape. Nooooooooo, the UV got him. You killed Officer Stingy, you Ba$tard!" -
jellyhead 24,355 posts
Seen 2 weeks ago
Registered 18 years agoAye, Cows and a Trebouchet.
Classiest mine clearing equiptment ever.
Pull!
/ whooosh. Splunt! BOOOOM!
Mine made safe, Sir!
Good work lads. Next.
Pull!
/ whooosh. Splunt! BOOOOM! -
Fat-Boy 4,300 posts
Seen 2 years ago
Registered 17 years agosmoothpete wrote:
They'd certainly cut down on people smuggling things in their rectums. The prospect of an arse full of angry wasps would put me right off
But a dog excitedly shoving his nose up there wouldn't? You worry me sir! -
jellyhead 24,355 posts
Seen 2 weeks ago
Registered 18 years agoFat Boy wrote:
Well the Dog's nose wouldn't buzz, move around and possibly lay eggs. So yes, in that case a dogs nose is much better than egg laying wasps.
smoothpete wrote:
But a dog excitedly shoving his nose up there wouldn't? You worry me sir!
They'd certainly cut down on people smuggling things in their rectums. The prospect of an arse full of angry wasps would put me right off
Nothing > Dogs nose > Egg-Laying Wasps. -
Mike_Hunt 23,524 posts
Seen 2 years ago
Registered 19 years agoOh God!
Next they'll be using spiders to "pad you down" after you set off the metal detector!
/cowers
[MH] -
smoothpete 37,743 posts
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Registered 17 years agoSniffer dogs with sniffer bees in their mouths, and when they bark they shoot sniffer bees at you -
Juninho 1,825 posts
Seen 2 years ago
Registered 18 years agosmoothpete wrote:
Sniffer dogs with sniffer bees in their mouths, and when they bark they shoot sniffer bees at you
Or just hire Candyman, I'm sure he's not up to much these days. -
GTBurns 1,772 posts
Seen 9 years ago
Registered 18 years agosmoothpete wrote:
Sniffer dogs with sniffer bees in their mouths, and when they bark they shoot sniffer bees at you
You just reminded me of one of the funniest moments in Simpsons history with Homers' rant at Mr. Burns. Excellent.
Edited by GTBurns at 07:23:15 07-12-2005 -
Furbs 45,740 posts
Seen 3 months ago
Registered 18 years agoBeats paying for it... -
I need a spiderwasp image, stat.
.gif)
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