A dual layer hair array of the brown lacewing: repelling water at different length scales |
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Authors: | Watson Jolanta A Cribb Bronwen W Hu Hsuan-Ming Watson Gregory S |
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Affiliation: | †School of Pharmacy and Molecular Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia;‡Centre for Microscopy & Microanalysis and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia |
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Abstract: | Additional weight due to contamination (water and/or contaminating particles) can potentially have a detrimental effect on the flight capabilities of large winged insects such as butterflies and dragonflies. Insects where the wing surface area-body mass ratio is very high will be even more susceptible to these effects. Water droplets tend to move spontaneously off the wing surface of these insects. In the case of the brown lacewing, the drops effectively encounter a dual bed of hair springs with a topographical structure which aids in the hairs resisting penetration into water bodies. In this article, we demonstrate experimentally how this protective defense system employed by the brown lacewing (Micromus tasmaniae) aids in resisting contamination from water and how the micro- and nanostructures found on these hairs are responsible for quickly shedding water from the wing which demonstrates an active liquid-repelling surface. |
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