Why are bugs so reckless near danger?

  • Thread starter thrylix
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Short version: In summary, the conversation discusses the behavior of bugs in response to stimuli. It is explained that insects have evolved to have a "hard-wired" response to environmental stimuli, as their brains do not have the capacity for much input preprocessing. This strategy has been successful for insects as a whole, but may not always serve individual bugs well. The conversation also touches on the concept of R-selection (laying many eggs and dying in droves) versus K-selection (having few children and ensuring their survival), as well as the comparison of human behavior to that of bugs. The topic of controlling flies is also brought up, with the suggestion to open a window and wave one's arms frantically to make them leave. The conversation ends with
  • #1
thrylix
I'm 21 years old, was in class two days ago... saw a spider under my desk crawling into the aisle. I was bored so before it got far away, I leaned back in my chair, slid my foot into the aisle, and crunched the little guy as inconspicuously as I could.

I tilted my foot on its side to jokingly show the flattened little guy to my friend sitting across, who sort of snickered when we saw that he was stuck to some mud/grass on my running shoe and half alive. As I was doing this I wondered what motivated the bug to get so close.

Now, I've been stepping on bugs my whole life. Why crawl next to a giant sneaker unless you were looking to be crushed! Seems hard not to notice that a huge white rubber thing which smashes might be dangerous.. hah.

Why do bugs act in that way?
 
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  • #2
We're not dealing with a lot of brain power here. Is it you expectation that the spider recognizes a sneaker as something more dangerous than a log?
 
  • #3
This is an opinion, at work, do not have time to dig out citations.
(FWIW: spiders are not insects, but that is not to the point :) ).

Let's do insects. Insects do not see the way mammals do. Many do not even see in the same wavelengths of light (spectrum) that we see. Bees are an example. Cave dwelling species are blind. Insects also sense vibration very well and can detect certain molecules in the air really well, example: pheromones.

So, a very large number of responses insects have to environmental stimuli are 'hard-wired'. Largely because their brains are not doing a whole lot of input preprocessing of the data. Like us humans do.

Think of them in human terms as dimwits with super sharp perceptions with limited input bandwidth, but with super fast responses.

Since a huge part of animal biomass on Earth is insects, this whole strategy has clearly paid off immensely well. It just does not serve individual bugs well in all circumstances.

The insect's response to stimulus does not involve cognition - thinking about input data, classifying the threat, and then responding. Insects just "do". Shadow moves, jump away. Air from arriving fly swatter (Another shadow) vibrates hairs on the bugs abdomen - fly away. The reason fly swatters have long handles is to increase the speed of the incoming swat to the point the fly cannot get away in time. Many still do.

Or if you like to think this way: bugs have evolved to cope with the fact they are on the menu for just about all kinds of other animals, including insects. The evolutionary response to being a menu item is called R-selection. Insects lay lots of eggs(like 30000+) and die off in droves before the remaining adults ever get a chance to lay any eggs at all.

Large mammals like humans, whales, and elephants are the opposite. Called K-selection. Humans have few children (14 is a huge number for us), and most children are not eaten by predators or killed off in other ways before they can reproduce.
 
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  • #4
I've seen flies dart away in the blink of eye. Swatting the little guys can be hard. However some bugs don't really seem to exhibit such caution or reactions.

The spider crawled right under me. And I've stepped on anthills where the ants don't even run away, even after I've crushed them and their home.
 
  • #5
It sounds like you enjoy bringing death and danger to their homes.
 
  • #6
Actually humans behave the same way as the bugs. I bet you don't feel scared when you are standing at the side of a road and huge metal objects traveling at 60 mph or more are missing you only by inches.
 
  • #7
thrylix said:
The spider crawled right under me.
More often than not in my experience, spiders crawl toward me! Like you, I have always been baffled by this. A friend of mine said it's because they're predators, so they automatically obey the predatory instinct without having the intelligence to assess that you're more than they can chew. It made sense, but I don't know if it's true.
 
  • #8
Majority of flies will hide when you get out the swatter.

Try it...
 
  • #9
If you see flies in the room just open a window (no screen) and wave your arms frantically. The flies will leave through the window. Please post a video of yourself doing this.

Best video wins an electronic fly swatter. Do those things work?
 
  • #10
edward said:
If you see flies in the room just open a window (no screen) and wave your arms frantically. The flies will leave through the window.

That doesn't work very well for me. My conclusion is that flying insects sense the change in light level and/or temperature between inside and outside, and won't cross the "invisible" boundary.

Flies are quite easy to squash, if you wait for them to settle on something and creep up on them slowly from behind. You can get to within half an inch before they suspect anything at all.
 
  • #11
AlephZero said:
Actually humans behave the same way as the bugs. I bet you don't feel scared when you are standing at the side of a road and huge metal objects traveling at 60 mph or more are missing you only by inches.
There are more extreme cases than that.
In 1981, five technicians enter the space shuttle Columbia not realizing it was still purged with gaseous N2. Four fell unconscious and three were killed: John Bjornstad, Forrest Cole, and Nick Multon.
At the time they entered the shuttle, none of them had any indication that there was a threat.
 
  • #12
Guy seems like a troll.
 
  • #13
.Scott said:
We're not dealing with a lot of brain power here.

Give the guy a break. He's still only 21.
 
  • #14
Tobias Funke said:
Give the guy a break. He's still only 21.

:biggrin::biggrin::rofl:
 
  • #15
Evo said:
It sounds like you enjoy bringing death and danger to their homes.

To me, it sounds more like he enjoys experimenting with the bug's reactions. No need to make him feel guilty about it; there are billions of bugs out there, and he's squashing less than 0.0001% of them.

:tongue2::biggrin::rofl:
 
  • #16
Vahsek said:
To me, it sounds more like he enjoys experimenting with the bug's reactions. No need to make him feel guilty about it; there are billions of bugs out there, and he's squashing less than 0.0001% of them.

:tongue2::biggrin::rofl:

Mostly this. They're just bugs; I don't see it as much different than stepping on tiny robots. Me stepping on an anthill is like stepping on a tiny automated robot factory that will self-repair. Maybe it's destructive, but in the end I'd still just be toying with mindless robots. It doesn't sound to me like "bringing down death and danger" like someone referenced.

I'm a pretty good guy by most standards. I don't think the way I treat bugs (admittingly, like dirt) has much bearing on that.. If it did, I'd be one of the worst guys out there.
 
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  • #18
Cockroaches are smart :grumpy:
 
  • #19
Good video.. but what does it have to do with this topic?

Also, why should it matter if cockroaches are smart..
 

1. Why do bugs seem to have no fear of danger?

Bugs have a very different nervous system than humans, and they do not experience fear in the same way. They also have a much shorter lifespan, so they prioritize finding food and reproducing over avoiding danger. Additionally, their small size and quick movement make it easier for them to escape danger compared to larger animals.

2. How do bugs survive being so reckless near danger?

Bugs have evolved many different adaptive behaviors and strategies to survive near danger. Some bugs have a hard outer shell that protects them from predators, while others have developed camouflage or mimicry to avoid being detected. They also have the ability to quickly reproduce and repopulate, making up for any losses due to being reckless.

3. Are there any benefits to bugs being reckless near danger?

Yes, there are actually some benefits to bugs being reckless near danger. For example, some bugs that live near predators have been observed to have a higher rate of reproduction and shorter lifespans, allowing them to quickly adapt to changing environments. Additionally, some bugs serve as food sources for other animals, so their recklessness may actually benefit the overall ecosystem.

4. Do all bugs exhibit reckless behavior near danger?

No, not all bugs exhibit reckless behavior near danger. Some bugs have evolved to have a stronger sense of danger and will actively avoid it. These bugs may have different habitats, behaviors, and adaptations compared to their risk-taking counterparts.

5. How can we prevent bugs from being so reckless near danger?

As humans, we can try to minimize the use of harmful chemicals and pesticides that can harm or kill bugs. We can also be mindful of our actions and try to preserve natural habitats for bugs to live in. Additionally, educating others about the importance of bugs in our ecosystems can help raise awareness and promote conservation efforts.

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