'Tool use in animals is a complex and rare phenomenon, particularly in insects.'
There's an assassin on the loose in Australia — but not the kind you might be thinking., scientists have discovered a new type of tool-wielding insect, nicknamed the "assassin bug" for a creative — and deadly — hunting technique in which it meticulously coats itself in a sticky resin as a means of more effectively catching prey.
Per the study, the assassin bug uses a specific resin from a native Australian grass called spinifex grass. "Tool use in animals is a complex and rare phenomenon, particularly in insects," reads the scientists' research. "Tool use in assassin bugs has been suggested as several species apply adhesive plant resins to their body, which has been hypothesized to function in enhancing prey capture.
"Here, we staged predatory interactions of resin-deprived and resin-equipped assassin bugs and discovered that applying resin as a tool conveys a clear predatory advantage to the assassin bugs," reads the study. "sp. can thus be considered a tool-user, and since this behaviour was present in all individuals, including newly hatched nymphs, tool-use can be considered to be stereotyped.
And apparently, according to the scientists' observations, the use of the spinifex resin isn't a learned behavior, as even newly-hatched nymphs were seen coating themselves in the glue-like substance."Assassin bugs manipulated an environmental item , by taking it out of its usual context and applying it onto their bodies," the researchers concluded, "Thus gaining a selective advantage through improved prey capture.
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