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Tell me, maybe someone knows

Community and Forum → Insects biology and faunistics → Tell me, maybe someone knows

metall-mikki, 08.10.2013 12:32

At the university, one teacher was smart)...the bottom line is this: we consider moths that live near humans and feed on everything that we are trying to save from them.So, in theory, all that they devour (furniture, fur products, etc.) is matter devoid of water. According to the teacher, over time, the percentage of water in the body of the moth is slightly, but increases.The next question is: how does the percentage of water in the body of this insect increase if it eats only "breadcrumbs"?

I thought the answer had to do with gas exchange in the insect's body;over time,moisture is deposited in the fat body.

Who has any options?) confused.gif

Comments

08.10.2013 17:30, vafdog

probably water is released during biochemical reactions?

09.10.2013 20:50, being

In nature, there are moths that make up for fluid loss by sucking out the tears of sleeping animals. Thus, the Madagascar moth Hemiceratoides hieroglyphica drinks tears at night in birds, and the moth Mecistoptera griseifusa even in crocodiles and other large animals. yes.gif
Source: en.wikipedia.org
It turns out that an ordinary moth drinks tears from humans and pets?! confused.gif

This post was edited by being-09.10.2013 20: 52

10.10.2013 4:35, Fornax13

At least keratophagous skin-eaters have enough metabolic water: "when keratin is broken down, the formation of each cystine molecule is accompanied by the formation of one water molecule" (Hinton, 1953 cited by Zhantiev, 1976). Most likely, the same is true for tineid keratophages.

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