04/07/2025 | Researchers at Mainz University and Université Paris Cité have for the first time investigated the physical properties of the wax layer surrounding the bodies of insects

Insects use a wax layer on their bodies to prevent water loss. Furthermore, they use the layer for communication. Although the chemical composition of this layer has been extensively studied, researchers at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) in Germany and Université Paris Cité in France have now, for the first time, turned to examining its physical properties, especially its phase behavior. They focused on analyzing its viscosity by determining its resistance to flow. “With regard to ants, we demonstrated that there is not only a gel phase and a liquid phase but also that the liquid phase exhibits two different levels of viscosity. One of them is rather viscous with a viscosity similar to that of honey, while the more fluid phase has a viscosity resembling that of olive oil,” explained PD Dr. Florian Menzel of the Faculty of Biology at Mainz University. “This is the reason why insects are able to maintain multiple functions of the wax layer simultaneously, even when they are exposed to fluctuating temperatures.” The research results have been published recently in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface. The findings contribute to the understanding of the physical mechanisms that underlie the biological functions of insects’ wax layer.

Source: JGU | Press and Public Relations