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Thieves, Deceivers and Killers, Tales of Chemistry in
Nature. by William Agosta. 2001. Princeton U. Press, 241p.
William Agosta, author of natural history books such as Bombadier Beetles and
Fever Trees, in Thieves, Deceivers and Killers surveys remarkable uses of
chemicals by wildlife. In creatures as diverse as bacteria, palms, azalea lace
bugs and zebras, chemicals solve problems that promote survival.
In broad-leaved woodlands of eastern North America slave making ants (Protomognathus
americanus) subdue other ants (Leptothorax curvispinosus) and capture their
larvae. The slaves perform all work in the slave makers’ colonies even fighting
in raids to capture more slaves of their species! In their attacks the tyrants
succeed because they spray a chemical over target ants that generates panic and
confusion.
Some prey recognize the scents of their predators. Nonpoisonous king snakes eat
poisonous pit vipers (rattlesnakes, copperheads and water moccasins). By
flicking their tongues snakes detect chemicals in the air. When a rattlesnake
recognizes the king snake scent, it hides it’s head, thrashes about, raises one
or two loops of its body and strikes with them at the predator. The king snake
grasps the rattlesnake by its head or neck, coils around its body and suffocates
the prey. If bitten, the king snake’s ability to chemically inactivate the snake
venom protects it.
In 1991 a 5300 year old man’s body was discovered in glacial ice near the
northern Italian border. Autopsy revealed that this Stone Age Iceman was
infected with parasitic intestinal whipworms. On a leather thong he carried two
walnut-sized balls of woody brown-rot fungus from birch trees. When eaten,
chemicals in this fungus cause diarrhea and kill parasitic worms. Impressively,
the Iceman utilized fungal chemicals to treat his round worms.
What an intricate, glorious Earth we inhabit!
Written January 2005
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