Bacteria Make Female Butterflies Promiscuous, Scientists Say

Livescienc.com via Yahoo.com ^ | 2-6-2007 | Charles Q. Choi

[grey_whiskers]

A germ that kills males triggers a vicious cycle of increasing female promiscuity and male sexual exhaustion in a species of butterfly, scientists report.

Male-killing bacteria known as Wolbachia are extremely widespread in insects, found in more than one-fifth of species. The germs can turn males to females and cause infected females to reproduce without males.

Scientists had assumed these bacteria would profoundly alter the natural mating patterns of their hosts, but only had scant evidence of what these changes would entail in the wild.

[grey_whiskers]

Later on, the article goes on to say "Some research sites were easily reachable by airplane, but the scientists relied on private sailboats to get to the more remote spots. While butterflies were common at some locations, they were rare at others, requiring days and days of hiking to find spots for collection.".

Yep, getting paid grant money to take private sailboats and hike tropical islands, all for checking the sperm count of butterflies.

I think the "bridge to nowhere" has met its match...:-)

Cheers!

[paudio]

So, if we just find the bacterias that are responsible for human promiscuity, social liberals may become social conservatives?

[lesser_satan]

Butterflies is butterflies. What's Brittany Spears' excuse, and why hasn't she made my day yet? She's got plenty of bacteria, I'll warrant. I mean, c'mon...K-fed? I'll tip over dead if he ain't a homo (PICK A SIDE, K-FED! YER A HOMO OR YA AINT!).

[snarks_when_bored]

So, if we just find the bacterias that are responsible for human promiscuity,...

Here you go...

Dangerrrr: cats could alter your personality

The startling figures emerge from studies into toxoplasma gondii, a parasite carried by almost all the country’s feline population. They show that half of Britain’s human population carry the parasite in their brains, and that infected people may undergo slow but crucial changes in their behaviour.

Infected men, suggests one new study, tend to become more aggressive, scruffy, antisocial and are less attractive. Women, on the other hand, appear to exhibit the “sex kitten” effect, becoming less trustworthy, more desirable, fun-loving and possibly more promiscuous.

[snip]

[csense]

A gendercidic, transgendering nympho germ.....

Interesting

[SunkenCiv]

Why the lady[bug] is running short of lovers
Daily Mail | 5th February 2007 | FIONA MACRAE
Posted on 02/06/2007 4:56:12 PM EST by Lorianne
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1780288/posts

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

I've often wondered if HIV does the same thing to people.