Posted on 11/01/2005 7:13:35 AM PST by Rakkasan1
Mice may not sing for their supper but male mice seem to sing to their prospective mates. Researchers at Washington University made this discovery when they eavesdropped on male mice that had been exposed to the scent of female urine. "We started recording the vocalizations to assess the factors that lead to recognition of female pheromones but the vocalizations turned out to be much more complicated and interesting than we expected," says Timothy E. Holy, lead author of the report detailing the findings, published online today by the Public Library of Science Biology. "It's not yet clear whether singing conveys an advantage to male mice during courtship, as it appears to do in birds."
(Excerpt) Read more at sciam.com ...
"M-I-C, K-E-Y, M-O-U-S-E"
Now the real question is, how much taxpayer money is invested in this earthshaking project???
"Singing Mice" sounds like a good name for a music band.
"...what if it leads to a better mousetrap?"
The current design of mouse trap works just fine and I can buy them 3 for a buck at WalMart.
Well, Topo Gigio did it first. :)
wonder if the singing mouse ever met the singing rat? (B as in B, S as in S)
Check out the eyes of the guy in back. LMAO!
If by broadcasting the mouse song at sufficient volume one could lure to the trap/kill area all the mice in the sizable vicinity (say, from an acre or two) then it would be a radically better design, especially for agricultural purposes.
Blast you! You beat me! That was my idea, MINE!! NOBODY else was going to think of that!!!
Dan
)c8<
Q:what has 6 eyes and can't see?
A:three blind mice.
By putting on a Barry Whitemouse CD...
burn a mouse in a coffee can and see how long his buddies hang around.
or ...world's best mouse trap:
it goes as follows:
Get a 5 gallon bucket.
Drill 1 hole on each side of bucket near top.
Get an old prescription bottle. Although any bottle that twirls will do.
Drill hole through bottle lengthwise.
Run a straightened coat hanger through 1 side of bucket, through bottle, and through other side of the bucket.
Pour a couple inches of water into bucket.
Smear peanut butter on twirling bottle.
Build ramp up to top of pail.
The mouse will go up the ramp, smell the peanut butter, make leap for it, and will spin off bottle to bottom of bucket.
PING, over here. :D
FReepmail me to be added or removed to the ECO-PING list!
Nice catch Skink, I missed it somehow!
Sticky traps are a lot easier.
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