Body water-mediated conductivity actualizes the insect-control functions of electric fields in houseflies

Abstract

In the present study, the relationship between body water loss and conductivity was examined in adult houseflies (Musca domestica). The events an insect experiences in an electric field are caused by the conductive nature of the insect body (i.e., movement of electricity within or its release from the insect). After houseflies were dehydrated, rehydrated, refrigerated, and frozen and thawed, they were placed in static and dynamic electric fields. Untreated houseflies were deprived of their free electrons to become positively charged and then attracted to the insulated negative pole in the static electric field and were exposed to corona and arc discharge from non-insulated negative pole in the dynamic electric field. There was no current in the bodies of dehydrated and frozen flies; hence, there was no attractive force or discharge exposure. In the remaining insects, the results were identical to those in the untreated control insects. These results indicated that the reduction of body water conductivity inhibited the release of electricity from the body in the static electric field and the discharge-mediated current flow through the body in the dynamic electric field. The insect was affected by the electric fields because of its conductivity mediated by body water.