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Nematodes Use Static Electricity to Boost Host Landings

10/30/2025

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Summary

Story summary

A study by UC Berkeley and Emory University found entomopathogenic nematodes Steinernema carpocapsae use static electricity to improve landing on hosts.
When fruit flies generate a charge, the carpocapsae is attracted, boosting landing from under 10% at 100 volts to 80% at 800 volts.
Researchers launched nematodes in a wind tunnel to observe flight patterns, indicating electrostatics influence evolution and the electrostatic ecology field.

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Story summary

A study by UC Berkeley and Emory University found entomopathogenic nematodes Steinernema carpocapsae use static electricity to improve landing on hosts.
When fruit flies generate a charge, the carpocapsae is attracted, boosting landing from under 10% at 100 volts to 80% at 800 volts.
Researchers launched nematodes in a wind tunnel to observe flight patterns, indicating electrostatics influence evolution and the electrostatic ecology field.