Cockroaches were living in a democratic world where each other communicates and acts

ByJD Hancock

Although it is not an exaggeration to say that it is an exaggerated insect most abhorrently on the earth from its appearance and quick movement, by the experiment of the research team of the Free University of Brussels, the cockroaches can socialize with sociality to live each other It is known to take communication.

Collegial decision making based on social amplification leads to optimal group formation
http://www.pnas.org/content/103/15/5835.full

Cockroaches live in a democracy> News in Science (ABC Science)
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2006/04/03/1607034.htm

Cockroaches, which are insects, communicate among individuals by emitting chemicals such as pheromones rather than voices, and using antennas. José Halloy of the Free University of Brussels, who led the research team said, "When a cockroach encounters another cockroach, using the antenna that plays an elaborate and very sensitive nose-like role, the other belongs to the same group as you "It explains that cockroaches are using different antennas to recognize other individuals.

The research team led by Mr. Halloy conducted an experiment to find out how communication cockroaches are making decisions in group life. In experiments, create three spaces where cockroaches can be hidden on one dish, release several tens of cockroaches on the dish, how the cockroach groups group themselves Then it is to investigate whether it goes into space.


In the experiment 50 cockroaches were used and 3 spaces were made to contain about 40 cockroaches. Immediately after the start of the experiment, the cockroaches that were released on the plate did not enter the space at once, but first started using the antennae to communicate. And eventually 25 were in one space, then 25 were in another space, and no one was in the remaining space. Next, when the researchers changed the three spaces so that more than 50 cockroaches were entered, 50 cockroaches all entered one space.

According to the results of this experiment, Mr. Halloy and researchers said, "From the experimental results, cockroach communication is a very balanced balance between the two elements of cooperation and competition to secure space It was highlighted. " According to Mr. Halloy, cockroaches that have a habit of making herds, such as increasing opportunities for reproductive activities, sharing things indispensable for living such as food and dwellings, preventing mutual gathering and preventing drying, etc. It is said that getting many benefits by living. In order to maximize these benefits, this experiment proved that cockroaches optimized the size of the group by taking communication.

Mr. Halloy says, "You can show the results of this experiment to other insects and animals, for example, how fish living and making a flock split herd and form a small group, leadership It is not impossible to explain how animals making groups that do not have a group have decisions, "suggesting the possibility that behavioral mechanisms of the animals can be elucidated.

ByCoby Bidwell