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Scientists Discover Solar Powered Hornets

Posted by samzenpus on from the beware-of-the-electric-bees dept.

adeelarshad82 writes "The oriental hornet is more active during the day, and tends to become even more active as the temperature rises. And now scientists have discovered the reason: the hornets are solar powered. It turns out that the distinctive yellow stripe on the hornet's abdomen is actually full of tiny protrusions that gather sunlight and harness it for energy. The insect also features a special pigment, called xanthopterin, that helps with the process."

5 of 177 comments (clear)

  1. journal article by Trepidity · · Score: 4, Informative

    It's unfortunately paywalled, but in case anyone has access to a library with a subscription, the journal article this news article is about is:

    Plotkin et al. (2010). Solar energy harvesting in the epicuticle of the oriental hornet (Vespa orientalis). Naturwissenschaften 97(12): 1067-1076.

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    1. Re:journal article by Jah-Wren+Ryel · · Score: 5, Informative

      It's unfortunately paywalled, but in case anyone has access to a library with a subscription, the journal article this news article is about is:

      Plotkin et al. (2010). Solar energy harvesting in the epicuticle of the oriental hornet (Vespa orientalis). Naturwissenschaften 97(12): 1067-1076.

      The full text works for me and I'm not in a library or anywhere else with a journal subscription.

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  2. Re:How will this influence solar power research? by c0lo · · Score: 4, Informative
    Ideas, yes (e.g. use of patterned capture surfaces, possible multiple reflections to increase the efficiency of a cell? Maybe not quite new).

    New materials? The full text version of the article (posted by someone above), mentions a measured the conversion efficiency of a xanthopterin-sensitized TiO2 solar cell to 0.335% - clearly some more work needs to be done (e.g. other substate to senzitize?).

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  3. Re:What does the wasp do with it? by ColdWetDog · · Score: 4, Informative

    Since xanthopterin converts light directly into electricity, according to the research, what exactly does the wasp do with the electricity produced? Does it directly excite muscles? Is there a tiny capacitor in the abdomen that dumps the energy into pulling the wings down?

    Presumably it would use the electrons generated in a redox reaction which generate ATP which is the basic power supply of the cell.

    Of course, this is all very hypothetical and hand waving at this point. However, if real, it could be a Big Deal - now you have another molecule, aside from the chlorophyll complex that can take photons and use them in cellular reactions. Photosynthesis is quite a bit more efficient that photovoltaic cells - assuming that this really does produce electrons at the end of the reaction and it's similarly efficient, or even just easier to copy / clone / manipulate, we might yet have a decent solar to electricity system.

    One of these days.

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  4. Re:What does the wasp do with it? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Photosynthesis is quite a bit more efficient that photovoltaic cells

    Uh no. Photosynthesis efficiency varies from 0.1% to 8%. Solar panels go from 6% to 41%. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosynthesis#Efficiency .