Leafhopper bug pees 300 times its body weight every day through "anal catapult"

[thomdunn]

Originally published at: Leafhopper bug pees 300 times its body weight every day through "anal catapult" | Boing Boing

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[anon61221983]

A catapee?

[Scientist]

@thomdunn

The first dozen or so have to do with trying to understand how we exactly we define the anus — like is i it still an anus if it produces pee instead of poo

A second orifice just for liquid waste is uncommon; most animals have a single exit to the GI. So the frass (insect poop) also comes from the anus in these leafhoppers

In other insects (like aphids) that feed on phloem the excess that comes out the anus is called honeydew and is sometimes drunk by other insects (no insect kink-shaming, please)

Honeydew (secretion)

[anothernewbbaccount]

@Scientist

called honeydew and is sometimes drunk by other insects

Aphids are ‘farmed’ by ants, who consume the honeydew, eagerly.

[Gryphon]

Drinking 300 times their body weight every day? I would have to consume 30 tons of water a day to do that.

It’s amazing they can find the time to reproduce.

[MikeR]

Anal Catapult - best band name ever.

[cannibalpeas]

Wonderful Thing: Achieved

Can’t wait to show this to the Littlest Pea. We just built a catapult from his recent Kiwi Crate yesterday, so timely.

[anon33932455]

@Scientist

A second orifice just for liquid waste is uncommon; most animals have a single exit to the GI.

Yeah . . . we were not prepared for the implications of this for our fresh eggs. Yuck.

[MononymousSean]

Last fall in Austin was a sticky mess due to aphid honeydew. It covered the trees. It covered the house. It covered cars. It made leaves stick to your feet. The volume was just unbelievable.

So. Much.Aphid goo.

That sticky stuff on your car isn't tree sap

[zzzz]

I kinda felt like that leafhopper the other day with a stomach bug.

[Beauty]

@thomdunn
You had me at “Leafhopper bug pees 300 times its body weight every day”… “anal catapult” was just icing on the cake.

[anon52120741]

@thomdunn

still an anus if it produces pee instead of poo

Isn’t that a cloaca? I am assuming that whatever tiny amount of solid waste they produce comes out through the same orifice. Or does it also have to be a sexual organ? And if so is this? Inquiring minds…

And “body weight”. Is that laden (by the pee) or unladen? I am assuming the latter, since otherwise it would not be nearly as impressive.

Finally, and I hesitate to ask, @thomdunn … do I even want to know the existing context within which you already know the term “anal catapult”?

[Flossaluzitarin]

There’s natural resilin in there too, as a fiber that doesn’t spend much energy snapping one way or the other. Sad to hear the insect itself isn’t flung thanks to the 100% hitting the car below sharpshooting skill, but there it is. How will our horribles accept this reward for their disdain for cleanliness/others’ cleanliness? Perhaps misdecorated bathrooms will change into suspended styli in the bowl? Looking for horrible AI Degrasse-Tyson to say this is hys jam. Or not.

[Scientist]

@Flossaluzitarin

There’s natural resilin in there too, as a fiber that doesn’t spend much energy snapping one way or the other.

Was thinking the same. This must be using a similar resilin spring mechanism as used in their jumps but for a new pee-drop flinging catapult

[anon87143080]

Wait, that made sense? I had Flossy all wrong I guess.

[anon52120741]

That is how they get you

[Scientist]

Resilin is a protein made by arthropods that is the most elastic fiber known (97% energy efficiency). It powers the jumps of little insects like this, and is almost certainly used in that pee flinger.

I didn’t understand the part about AI Degrasse-Tyson, but I assume it makes sense in a way that went past me