Kidnapper ants raid other ant species' colonies, abduct their young and take them back to their nest. When the enslaved babies grow up, the kidnappers trick them into serving their captors – hunting, cleaning the nest, even chewing up their food for them. Please join our community on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/deeplook SUBSCRIBE to Deep Look! http://goo.gl/8NwXqt DEEP LOOK is a ultra-HD (4K) short video series created by KQED San Francisco and presented by PBS Digital Studios. See the unseen at the very edge of our visible world. Explore big scientific mysteries by going incredibly small. A miniature drama is playing out on the forest floor in California’s preeminent mountain range, the Sierra Nevada, at this time of year. As the sun sets, look closely and you might see a stream of red ants frantically climbing over leaves and rocks. They aren’t looking for food. They’re looking for other ants. They’re kidnappers. “It’s hard to know who you're rooting for in this situation,” says Kelsey Scheckel, a graduate student at UC Berkeley who studies kidnapper ants. “You're just excited to be a bystander.” On this late summer afternoon, Scheckel stares intently over the landscape at the Sagehen Creek Field Station, part of the University of California’s Natural Reserve System, near Truckee, California.“The first thing we do is try to find a colony with two very different-looking species cohabitating,” Scheckel says. “That type of coexistence is pretty rare. As soon as we find that, we can get excited.” --- How do ants communicate? Ants mostly use their sense of smell to learn about the world around themselves and to recognize nestmates from intruders. They don’t have noses. Instead, they use their antennae to sense chemicals on surfaces and in the air. Ants’ antennae are porous like a kitchen sponge allowing chemicals to enter and activate receptors inside. You will often see ants tap each other with their antennae. That behavior, called antennation, helps them recognize nestmates who will share the same chemical nest signature. ---Can ants bite or sting? Many ants will use their mandibles, or jaws, to defend themselves but that typically just feels like a pinch. Some ants have a stinger at the end of their abdomen that can deliver a venomous sting. While the type of venom can vary across species, many ants’ sting contains formic acid which causes a burning sensation. Some have special glands containing acid that can spray at attackers causing burning and alarming odors. ---+ Read the entire article on KQED Science: https://www.kqed.org/science/1947369/kidnapper-ants-steal-other-ants-babies-and-brainwash-them ---+ For more information: Neil Tsutsui Lab of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior of Social Insects at the University of California, Berkeley https://nature.berkeley.edu/tsutsuilab/ ---+ Shoutout! 🏆Congratulations 🏆to the following fans for correctly naming and describing the inter-species, mandible-to-mandible ant behavior we showed on our Deep Look Community Tab… "trophallaxis:" Senpai Ravinraven6913 CJ Thibeau Maksimilian Tašler Isha https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-3SbfTPJsL8fJAPKiVqBLg/community?lb=Ugy57BQZzqfuE-32aCt4AaABCQ ---+ Thank you to our Top Patreon Supporters ($10+ per month)! Leonhardt Wille Justin Bull Bill Cass Sarah Khalida Mohamad Daniel Weinstein Chris B Emrick Karen Reynolds Tea Torvinen David Deshpande Daisuke Goto Companion Cube WhatzGames Richard Shalumov Elizabeth Ann Ditz Gerardo Alfaro Robert Amling Shirley Washburn Robert Warner Supernovabetty johanna reis Kendall Rasmussen Pamela Parker Sayantan Dasgupta Joshua Murallon Robertson Cindy McGill Kenia Villegas Shelley Pearson Cranshaw Aurora Dean Skoglund Silvan Wendland Ivan Alexander monoirre Sonia Tanlimco Two Box Fish Jane Orbuch Allen Laurel Przybylski Johnnyonnyful Rick Wong Levi Cai Titania Juang Nathan Wright Carl Michael Mieczkowski Kyle Fisher JanetFromAnotherPlanet Kallie Moore SueEllen McCann Geidi Rodriguez Louis O'Neill Edwin Rivas Jeanne Sommer Katherine Schick Aurora Mitchell Cory Ricardo Martinez riceeater Daisy Trevino KW PM Daeley Joao Ascensao Chris Murphy Nicolette Ray TierZoo ---+ Follow KQED Science and Deep Look: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/deeplook Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kqedscience/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/kqedscience KQED Science on kqed.org: http://www.kqed.org/science Facebook Watch: https://www.facebook.com/DeepLookPBS/ ---+ About KQED KQED, an NPR and PBS affiliate in San Francisco, CA, serves Northern California and beyond with a public-supported alternative to commercial TV, Radio and web media. Funding for Deep Look is provided in part by PBS Digital Studios. Deep Look is a project of KQED Science, which is also supported by the National Science Foundation, the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, the Dirk and Charlene Kabcenell Foundation, the Vadasz Family Foundation, the Fuhs Family Foundation, Campaign 21 and the members of KQED.

Check out America From Scratch: https://youtu.be/LVuEJ15J19s A rattlesnake's rattle isn't like a maraca, with little bits shaking around inside. So how exactly does it make that sound? SUBSCRIBE to Deep Look! http://goo.gl/8NwXqt Please support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/deeplook Watch America From Scratch: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClSZ6wHgU2h1W7eAGaa7cUw DEEP LOOK is a ultra-HD (4K) short video series created by KQED San Francisco and presented by PBS Digital Studios. See the unseen at the very edge of our visible world. Explore big scientific mysteries by going incredibly small. Rattlesnakes are ambush predators, relying on staying hidden to get close to their prey. They don’t sport the bright colors that some venomous snakes use as a warning to predators. Fortunately, rattlesnakes have an unmistakable warning, a loud buzz made to startle any aggressor and hopefully avoid having to bite. If you hear the rattlesnake’s rattle here’s what to do: First, stop moving! You want to figure out which direction the sound is coming from. Once you do, slowly back away. If you do get bitten, immobilize the area and don't overly exert yourself. Immediately seek medical attention. You may need to be treated with antivenom. DO NOT try to suck the venom out using your mouth or a suction device. DO NOT try to capture the snake and stay clear of dead rattlesnakes, especially the head. --- How do rattlesnakes make that buzzing sound? The rattlesnake’s rattle is made up of loosely interlocking segments made of keratin, the same strong fibrous protein in your fingernails. Each segment is held in place by the one in front and behind it, but the individual segments can move a bit. When the snake shakes its tail, it sends undulating waves down the length of the rattle, and they click against each other. It happens so fast that all you hear is a buzz and all you see is a blur. --- Why do rattlesnakes flick their tongue? Like other snakes, rattlesnakes flick their tongues to gather odor particles suspended in liquid. The snake brings those scent molecules back to a special organ in the roof of their mouth called the vomeronasal organ or Jacobson's organ. The organ detects pheromones originating from prey and other snakes. ---+ Read the entire article on KQED: https://www.kqed.org/science/1945648/5-things-you-thought-you-knew-about-rattlesnakes ---+ More Great Deep Look episodes: Stinging Scorpion vs. Pain-Defying Mouse | Deep Look https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-K_YtWqMro&t=35s ---+ 🏆Congratulations 🏆to the following fans for coming up with the *best* new names for the Jacobson's organ in our community tab challenge: Pigeon Fowl - "Noodle snoofer" alex jackson - "Ye Ol' Factory" Aberrant Artist - "Tiny boi sniffer whiffer" vandent nguyen - "Smeller Dweller" and "Flicker Snicker" ---+ Thank you to our Top Patreon Supporters ($10+ per month)! Allen, Aurora Mitchell, Beckie, Ben Espey, Bill Cass, Bluapex, Breanna Tarnawsky, Carl, Chris B Emrick, Chris Murphy, Cindy McGill, Companion Cube, Cory, Daisuke Goto, Daisy Trevino , Daniel Voisine, Daniel Weinstein, David Deshpande, Dean Skoglund, Edwin Rivas, Elizabeth Ann Ditz, Eric Carter, Geidi Rodriguez, Gerardo Alfaro, Ivan Alexander, Jane Orbuch, JanetFromAnotherPlanet, Jason Buberel, Jeanine Womble, Jeanne Sommer, Jiayang Li, Joao Ascensao, johanna reis, Johnnyonnyful, Joshua Murallon Robertson, Justin Bull, Kallie Moore, Karen Reynolds, Katherine Schick, Kendall Rasmussen, Kenia Villegas, Kristell Esquivel, KW, Kyle Fisher, Laurel Przybylski, Levi Cai, Mark Joshua Bernardo, Michael Mieczkowski, Michele Wong, Nathan Padilla, Nathan Wright, Nicolette Ray, Pamela Parker, PM Daeley, Ricardo Martinez, riceeater, Richard Shalumov, Rick Wong, Robert Amling, Robert Warner, Samuel Bean, Sayantan Dasgupta, Sean Tucker, Shelley Pearson Cranshaw, Shirley Washburn, Sonia Tanlimco, SueEllen McCann, Supernovabetty, Tea Torvinen, TierZoo, Titania Juang, Two Box Fish, WhatzGames, Willy Nursalim, Yvan Mostaza, ---+ Follow KQED Science and Deep Look: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/deeplook Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kqedscience/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/kqedscience KQED Science on kqed.org: http://www.kqed.org/science ---+ About KQED KQED, an NPR and PBS affiliate in San Francisco, CA, serves Northern California and beyond with a public-supported alternative to commercial TV, Radio and web media. Funding for Deep Look is provided in part by PBS Digital Studios. Deep Look is a project of KQED Science, which is also supported by the National Science Foundation, the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, the Dirk and Charlene Kabcenell Foundation, the Vadasz Family Foundation, the Fuhs Family Foundation, Campaign 21 and the members of KQED.

At night, these parasites crawl onto your bed, bite you and suck your blood. Then they find a nearby hideout where they leave disgusting telltale signs. But these pests have an Achilles’ heel that stops them cold. SUBSCRIBE to Deep Look! http://goo.gl/8NwXqt Join our community on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/deeplook DEEP LOOK is a ultra-HD (4K) short video series created by KQED San Francisco and presented by PBS Digital Studios. See the unseen at the very edge of our visible world. Explore big scientific mysteries by going incredibly small. Adult bed bugs are about the size and color of an apple seed. After biting, they hide in a nearby cranny, like the seam of the mattress. At the University of California, Irvine, biologist and engineer Catherine Loudon is working to create synthetic surfaces that could trap bed bugs. She was inspired by the tiny hooked hairs that grow from the leaves of some varieties of beans, such as kidney and green beans. In nature, these hairs, called trichomes, pierce through the feet of the aphids and leafhoppers that like to feed on the plants. Researchers have found that these pointy hairs are just as effective against bed bugs, even though the bloodsucking parasites don’t feed on leaves. Loudon’s goal is to mimic a bean leaf’s mechanism to create an inexpensive, portable bed bug trap. “You could imagine a strip that would act as a barrier that could be placed virtually anywhere: across the portal to a room, behind the headboard, on subway seats, an airplane,” Loudon said. “They have six legs, so that’s six opportunities to get trapped.” --- Where do bed bugs come from? Bed bugs don’t fly or jump or come in from the garden. They crawl very quickly and hide in travelers’ luggage. They also move around on secondhand furniture, or from apartment to apartment. --- How can I avoid bringing bed bugs home? “It would probably be a prudent thing to do a quick bed check if you’re sleeping in a strange bed,” said Potter. His recommendation goes for hotel rooms, as well as dorms and summer camp bunk beds. He suggests pulling back the sheet at the head of the bed and checking the seams on the top and bottom of the mattress and the box spring. ---+ For more tips, read the entire article on KQED Science: https://www.kqed.org/science/1944245/watch-bed-bugs-get-stopped-in-their-tracks ---+ More Great Deep Look Episodes: ‘Parasites are Dynamite’ Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdKlciEDdCQACmrtvWX7hr7X7Zv8F4nEi ---+ 🏆Congratulations 🏆to the following fans for correctly identifying the creature's species name in our community tab challenge: Stay in Your Layne Brian Lee Brad Denney Elise Wade Raminta’s Photography https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-3SbfTPJsL8fJAPKiVqBLg/community?lb=Ugz37Tnkfr8gOF7tRL54AaABCQ ---+ Thank you to our Top Patreon Supporters ($10+ per month)! Allen, Aurora Mitchell, Beckie, Ben Espey, Bill Cass, Bluapex, Breanna Tarnawsky, Carl, Chris B Emrick, Chris Murphy, Cindy McGill, Companion Cube, Cory, Daisuke Goto, Daisy Trevino , Daniel Voisine, Daniel Weinstein, David Deshpande, Dean Skoglund, Edwin Rivas, Elizabeth Ann Ditz, Eric Carter, Geidi Rodriguez, Gerardo Alfaro, Ivan Alexander, Jane Orbuch, JanetFromAnotherPlanet, Jason Buberel, Jeanine Womble, Jeanne Sommer, Jiayang Li, Joao Ascensao, johanna reis, Johnnyonnyful, Joshua Murallon Robertson, Justin Bull, Kallie Moore, Karen Reynolds, Katherine Schick, Kendall Rasmussen, Kenia Villegas, Kristell Esquivel, KW, Kyle Fisher, Laurel Przybylski, Levi Cai, Mark Joshua Bernardo, Michael Mieczkowski, Michele Wong, Nathan Padilla, Nathan Wright, Nicolette Ray, Pamela Parker, PM Daeley, Ricardo Martinez, riceeater, Richard Shalumov, Rick Wong, Robert Amling, Robert Warner, Samuel Bean, Sayantan Dasgupta, Sean Tucker, Shelley Pearson Cranshaw, Shirley Washburn, Sonia Tanlimco, SueEllen McCann, Supernovabetty, Tea Torvinen, TierZoo, Titania Juang, Two Box Fish, WhatzGames, Willy Nursalim, Yvan Mostaza ---+ Follow KQED Science and Deep Look: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/deeplook Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kqedscience/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/kqedscience KQED Science on kqed.org: http://www.kqed.org/science Facebook Watch: https://www.facebook.com/DeepLookPBS/ ---+ About KQED KQED, an NPR and PBS affiliate in San Francisco, CA, serves Northern California and beyond with a public-supported alternative to commercial TV, radio and web media. Funding for Deep Look is provided in part by PBS Digital Studios. Deep Look is a project of KQED Science, which is also supported by the National Science Foundation, the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, the Dirk and Charlene Kabcenell Foundation, the Vadasz Family Foundation, the Fuhs Family Foundation, Campaign 21 and the members of KQED. #bedbug #bedbugtrap #bedbugbite

This millipede uses deadly cyanide gas to keep predators at bay. But one beetle can tolerate the toxic defense and rides the millipede like a bucking bronco. Who will win this showdown in the forest? SUBSCRIBE to Deep Look! http://goo.gl/8NwXqt Please support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/deeplook DEEP LOOK is a ultra-HD (4K) short video series created by KQED San Francisco and presented by PBS Digital Studios. See the unseen at the very edge of our visible world. Explore big scientific mysteries by going incredibly small. --- Across Northern California, as the rainy season is ending and spring is taking hold, bees are buzzing, flowers are growing and hikers are hitting the trails. But down at ground level, the pastoral scenery is concealing a surprising battle: relentless chemical warfare between bugs. More than 200 species of millipedes emerge from their underground lairs every year during the winter and early spring months to forage for food and seek mates. They have to fend off insects, mammals, reptiles and amphibians looking for a tasty meal. But they have a secret weapon – toxic chemicals they shoot from special glands. One Bay Area species, Xystocheir dissecta, carries deadly cyanide and benzaldehyde. If they’re feeling threatened, these millipedes produce an invisible, odorless hydrogen cyanide gas that they spray at predators, and which is virtually toxic to all organisms. One byproduct is benzaldehyde, which gives off the scent of bitter almonds, as an additional signal that they’re secreting poison. The millipedes don’t poison themselves, however. They’ve developed an immunity. The cyanide can kill nearly any other animal trying to dine on the millipedes. Except one. New research has found that one tough beetle is the only known predator in the world that can survive a direct blast of cyanide gas and keep going. Brandt Weary, an entomologist, studied these hardy beetles last year for his senior thesis at the University of California Berkeley. The beetles, known as Promecognathus crassus, love to eat millipedes, even though they are only one-fifth the millipedes’ size. Weary wanted to know more about how the beetles withstood the millipedes’ tough chemical defense. He found that while many other beetles will avoid the cyanide-spraying millipedes, Promecognathus seeks them out. --- How many legs do millipedes have? Most millipedes have between 34-400 legs, and the record is 750! --- Why do these millipedes “glow” or fluoresce? One theory behind millipede fluorescence is that it's a warning sign. Moonlight has some UV light, so maybe an animal with better night vision can see the fluorescence even if we can't. --- Which millipedes produce cyanide? Only millipedes in the order Polydesmida produce cyanide. It's the largest order of millipedes with about 3500 species. ---+ Read the entire article on KQED Science: https://www.kqed.org/science/1939811/this-millipede-and-beetle-have-a-toxic-relationship ---+ For more information: Kip Will at UC Berkeley: https://ourenvironment.berkeley.edu/people/kipling-will Science on the SPOT: Glowing Millipedes of Alcatraz: https://ww2.kqed.org/quest/2013/03/19/science-on-the-spot-the-glowing-millipedes-of-alcatraz/ ---+ Shoutout! 🏆Congratulations 🏆to these fans for suggesting our *5 favorite common names* for Xystocheir dissecta, on our Community Tab: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-3SbfTPJsL8fJAPKiVqBLg/community?lb=Ugwt2DsvG4dbBa5HPSF4AaABCQ #5 Unom Auhasard: Walking rave stick #4 F E: "Lumilipede" #3 Mr.salty: " hell no" #2 Mystery Bomb Noel: "blue galaxy" #1 Tinkili: "Glowy Feets McGee" ---+ Thank you to our Top Patreon Supporters ($10+ per month)! Bill Cass, Justin Bull, Daniel Weinstein, Chris B Emrick, Karen Reynolds, Jeremy Lambert, David Deshpande, Daisuke Goto, Bugeyed.fr, WhatzGames, Elizabeth Ann Ditz, Robert Warner, Shirley Washburn, Tatianna Bartlett, KW, Tanya Finch, Elizabeth Wolden, Sayantan Dasgupta, Monica Albe, Willy Nursalim, Jenn's Bowtique, Jane Orbuch, Laurel Przybylski, Johnnyonnyful, Levi Cai, Jason Buberel, Mark Joshua Bernardo, Michael Mieczkowski, Jeanine Womble, Aurora Mitchell, Edwin Rivas, Marjorie D Miller, Companion Cube, Chris Murphy, Joao Ascensao, Two Box Fish, PM Daeley, TierZoo, Robert Amling, Shelley Pearson Cranshaw, Mario Rahmani ---+ About KQED KQED, an NPR and PBS affiliate in San Francisco, CA, serves Northern California and beyond with a public-supported alternative to commercial TV, Radio and web media. Funding for Deep Look is provided in part by PBS Digital Studios. Deep Look is a project of KQED Science, which is also supported by the National Science Foundation, the Templeton Religion Trust, the Templeton World Charity Foundation, the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, the Dirk and Charlene Kabcenell Foundation, the Vadasz Family Foundation, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Fuhs Family Foundation and the members of KQED. #millipede #beetle #deeplook

Porcupines may be adorable, but their quills are razor-sharp, designed to impale and next to impossible to remove. But it's not all bad news. Researchers are designing new surgical staples that mimic the quill's shape to better close wounds and promote healing. Check out PBS Sound Field! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvMLMyKPomE6kTTL9Kv8Iww Meet Seth Samuel, Deep Look Composer! https://www.patreon.com/posts/25828498 SUBSCRIBE to Deep Look! http://goo.gl/8NwXqt DEEP LOOK is a ultra-HD (4K) short video series created by KQED San Francisco and presented by PBS Digital Studios. Explore big scientific mysteries by going incredibly small. The quills of North American porcupines have microscopic backward-facing barbs on the tips. Those barbs make the quills slide in easy but very difficult to remove. Researchers at Harvard are looking to porcupine quills for inspiration in designing a new type of surgical staple that would also use tiny barbs to keep itself lodged into the patient’s skin. This helps because traditional staples curve in under the skin to keep the staple in place. This creates more damage and can provide a place for bacteria to infect the wound. --- How do porcupines defend themselves? If threatened, a porcupine will bristle, raising its quills. The quills are densest in an area on the porcupine's back called the rosette. The quills are coated in a grease secreted by the porcupine’s skin. When the porcupine exposes its quills it releases a musky odor unique to porcupines that serves as a warning. The porcupine turns so that it’s head faces away from the attacker and chatters its teeth to make an audible warning. If that’s not enough, he porcupine will use its muscular tail, covered in quills, to slap their attacker if they get too close. --- Do porcupines shoot their quills? Porcupines do not shoot their quills out. That’s a myth. Porcupine quills are held by their skin in a way that makes them difficult to fall out unless pushed in first, usually by contact with an attacker. The tail moves so quickly that it can appear that it is shooting the quills out. ---+ Read the entire article on KQED Science: https://ww2.kqed.org/science/2019/04/09/porcupines-give-you-30,000-reasons-to-back-off/ ---+ For more information: Professor Uldis Roze studies North American porcupines at Queens College at the City University of New York: http://biology.qc.cuny.edu/people/faculty/dr-uldis-roze/ Dr. Jeff Karp is developing a new type of surgical staple inspired by the barbs on North American porcupine quills. http://www.karplab.net/portfolio-item/porcupine-inspired-needles ---+ More Great Deep Look episodes: How Lice Turn Your Hair Into Their Jungle Gym | Deep Look https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yb26BBvAAWU&list=PLdKlciEDdCQBpNSC7BIONruffF_ab4cqK&index=47 Take Two Leeches and Call Me in the Morning | Deep Look https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-0SFWPLaII&list=PLdKlciEDdCQBpNSC7BIONruffF_ab4cqK&index=19 ---+ Shoutout! Congratulations to 🏆Snowcube94, Marley Kang, Mr Spooks, David Bouslov, and NonEuclideanDreams🏆, who were the first to correctly ID the muscle (arrector pili) and a scientific name for the phenomenon known as goose bumps (piloerection, horripilation, or cutis anserina), over at the Deep Look Community Tab: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-3SbfTPJsL8fJAPKiVqBLg/community?lb=Ugyape2VJb97x8bM77B4AaABCQ ---+ Thank you to our Top Patreon Supporters ($10+ per month)! Bill Cass, Justin Bull, Daniel Weinstein, Chris B Emrick, Karen Reynolds, Jeremy Lambert, David Deshpande, Daisuke Goto, Bugeyed.fr, WhatzGames, Elizabeth Ann Ditz, Robert Warner, Shirley Washburn, Tatianna Bartlett, KW, Tanya Finch, Elizabeth Wolden, Sayantan Dasgupta, Monica Albe, Willy Nursalim, Jenn's Bowtique, Jane Orbuch, Laurel Przybylski, Johnnyonnyful, Levi Cai, Jason Buberel, Mark Joshua Bernardo, Michael Mieczkowski, Jeanine Womble, Aurora Mitchell, Edwin Rivas, Marjorie D Miller, Companion Cube, Chris Murphy, Joao Ascensao, Two Box Fish, PM Daeley, TierZoo, Robert Amling, Shelley Pearson Cranshaw, Mario Rahmani ---+ Follow KQED Science and Deep Look: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/deeplook Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kqedscience/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/kqedscience KQED Science on kqed.org: http://www.kqed.org/science Facebook Watch: https://www.facebook.com/DeepLookPBS/ ---+ About KQED KQED, an NPR and PBS affiliate in San Francisco, CA, serves Northern California and beyond with a public-supported alternative to commercial TV, Radio and web media. Funding for Deep Look is provided in part by PBS Digital Studios. Deep Look is a project of KQED Science, which is also supported by the National Science Foundation, the Templeton Religion Trust, the Templeton World Charity Foundation, the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, the Dirk and Charlene Kabcenell Foundation, the Vadasz Family Foundation, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Fuhs Family Foundation and the members of KQED.

Why are itchy lice so tough to get rid of and how do they spread like wildfire? They have huge claws that hook on hair perfectly, as they crawl quickly from head to head. JOIN our Deep Look community on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/deeplook SUBSCRIBE to Deep Look! http://goo.gl/8NwXqt DEEP LOOK is an ultra-HD (4K) short video series created by KQED San Francisco and presented by PBS Digital Studios. See the unseen at the very edge of our visible world. Explore big scientific mysteries by going incredibly small. Head lice can only move by crawling on hair. They glue their eggs to individual strands, nice and close to the scalp, where the heat helps them hatch. They feed on blood several times a day. And even though head lice can spread by laying their eggs in sports helmets and baseball caps, the main way they get around is by simply crawling from one head to another using scythe-shaped claws. These claws, which are big relative to a louse’s body, work in unison with a small spiky thumb-like part called a spine. With the claw and spine at the end of each of its six legs, a louse grasps a hair strand to hold on, or quickly crawl from hair to hair like a speedy acrobat. Their drive to stay on a human head is strong because once they’re off and lose access to their blood meals, they starve and die within 15 to 24 hours. --- How do you kill lice? Researchers found in 2016 that lice in the U.S. have become resistant to over-the-counter insecticide shampoos, which contain natural insecticides called pyrethrins, and their synthetic version, known as pyrethroids. Other products do still work against lice, though. Prescription treatments that contain the insecticides ivermectin and spinosad are effective, said entomologist John Clark, of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. They’re prescribed to kill both lice and their eggs. Clark said treatments such as suffocants, which block the lice’s breathing holes, and hot-air devices that dry them up, also work. He added that tea tree oil works both as a repellent and a “pretty good” insecticide. Combing lice and eggs out with a special metal comb is also a recommended treatment. --- How long do lice survive? It takes six to nine days for their eggs to hatch and about as long for the young lice to grow up and start laying their own eggs. Adult lice can live on a person’s head for up to 30 days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). --- Can your pet give you lice? No. Human head lice only live on our heads. They can’t really move to other parts of our body or onto pets. ---+ Read the entire article on KQED Science: https://www.kqed.org/science/1939435/how-lice-turn-your-hair-into-their-jungle-gym ---+ For more information: Visit the CDC’s page on head lice: https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/head/index.html ---+ More Great Deep Look episodes: How Mosquitoes Use Six Needles to Suck Your Blood: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rD8SmacBUcU How Ticks Dig In With a Mouth Full of Hooks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IoOJu2_FKE ---+ Shoutout! Congratulations to 🏆HaileyBubs, Tiffany Haner, cjovani78z, יואבי אייל, and Bellybutton King🏆, who were the first to correctly ID the species and subspecies of insect in this episode over at the Deep Look Community Tab: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-3SbfTPJsL8fJAPKiVqBLg/community?lb=Ugwl_PstCaUYdfgvfa54AaABCQ ---+ Thank you to our Top Patreon Supporters ($10+ per month)! Bill Cass, Justin Bull, Daniel Weinstein, David Deshpande, Daisuke Goto, Karen Reynolds, Yidan Sun, Elizabeth Ann Ditz, KW, Shirley Washburn, Tanya Finch, johanna reis, Shelley Pearson Cranshaw, Johnnyonnyful, Levi Cai, Jeanine Womble, Michael Mieczkowski, TierZoo, James Tarraga, Willy Nursalim, Aurora Mitchell, Marjorie D Miller, Joao Ascensao, PM Daeley, Two Box Fish, Tatianna Bartlett, Monica Albe, Jason Buberel ---+ Follow KQED Science and Deep Look: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/deeplook Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kqedscience/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/kqedscience KQED Science on kqed.org: http://www.kqed.org/science Facebook Watch: https://www.facebook.com/DeepLookPBS/ ---+ About KQED KQED, an NPR and PBS affiliate in San Francisco, CA, serves Northern California and beyond with a public-supported alternative to commercial TV, Radio and web media. Funding for Deep Look is provided in part by PBS Digital Studios. Deep Look is a project of KQED Science, which is also supported by the National Science Foundation, the Templeton Religion Trust, the Templeton World Charity Foundation, the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, the Dirk and Charlene Kabcenell Foundation, the Vadasz Family Foundation, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Fuhs Family Foundation and the members of KQED.