Electrical conductivity of insects

Navigateur
Navigateur Club Member Posts: 3,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
1000 Comments
edited July 2016 in Parts & Accessories #1

On unplugging from the EHU bollard around two dozen earwigs dropped out of the socket.  Can't blame them for being in there as it would have been warm and dry during some diabolical weather conditions.

How many more do you recon would have been needed to short out the pins?

Comments

  • huskydog
    huskydog Club Member Posts: 5,460 ✭✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2016 #2

    It would depend on the moisture content of each earwig....

  • hitchglitch
    hitchglitch Forum Participant Posts: 3,007
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2016 #3

    I doubt they could get at the pins, just the outer shroud. I think, however, that a squashed earwig would be a good conductor.

  • Vicmallows
    Vicmallows Forum Participant Posts: 580
    500 Comments
    edited July 2016 #4

    I did once trace a very slow ADSL broadband connection to a dead bee across the phone lines inside a junction box.  (Reminicent of the proverbial original computer 'bug').

  • Navigateur
    Navigateur Club Member Posts: 3,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2016 #5

    The base of the plug where the three pins stick out had a couple stuck to it, but whether squashed or fried I wasn't standing about in rain to investigate.

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,311 ✭✭✭
    5,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper
    edited July 2016 #6

    They certainly activate the rain sensor when one hits it. However this is when skwished. Not sure in their complete state.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2016 #7

    They certainly activate the rain sensor when  .....

    but that works off refraction Innocent

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,311 ✭✭✭
    5,000 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper
    edited July 2016 #8

    Didn't know that. Thanks for the info.

Categories