First year ES Ph.D. student, Chad Rigsby, had research he conducted as an undergraduate at Wittenberg University featured on the website, asknature.com, a site associated with the Biomimicry Institute dedicated to finding inspiration for designers, architects, chemists and engineers in nature. In this study, Chad and colleagues examined how red velvet mites tolerate high temperatures and drying through secretion of a waterproofing compound from secretory glands called urnulae.
Visit the Ask Nature website for details.
Yoder, J. A., Rigsby, C. M., Condon, M. R., & Tank, J. L. (2008). Function of the urnulae in protecting against water loss in the red velvet mite, Balaustium sp. (Ohio, USA ), enhancing activity at high temperature. International Journal of Acarology, 34(4), 1-7.
Congratulations to Chad!
