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Ant Appendage Hairs

| Fri Sep 03 55351 00:20:26 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)



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I wished to understand how an ant is able to climb walls without falling off, so I ventured to Lake Lagunita to gather a sample. I found many species of ants, but in view of ethical and moral research practice, I decided to obtain a singular sample of a moderately large species to view, as it would lend a clearer image and also would be easier to capture. I subsequently plated it in a standard 2-specimen plate, then viewed it under the foldscope. I saw small protrusions that resembled hooks on the end of the appendages of the ant, which would suggest that the ant is able to hook onto the surface using the appendages, but also it possibly uses the hairy features on the rest of the ant’s legs. This could potentially be replicated on a larger/smaller scale to allow other machinations to climb surfaces.



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Type of Sample
insects-arachnids
Foldscope Lens Magnification
50x

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