Overview
- High-speed footage shows Steinernema carpocapsae curving through the air toward electrically charged fruit flies.
- In controlled trials, charged flies were hit 19 out of 19 times compared with 1 out of 19 when uncharged.
- Researchers tethered flies and applied voltages comparable to charges insects accumulate in flight to test attraction.
- Simulations and wind-tunnel experiments indicate success increases with voltage and light airflow, reaching about 80% at 880 volts.
- The nematode already serves as a chemical-free pest control agent, so identifying its targeting mechanism carries practical value.