# Insects & Spiders lie on back when sprayed. Why?



## vanilla_dream (Nov 2, 2011)

I think we all notice that whenever we spray pesticides on insects, and even on arachnids, we notice them always lying on their backs as they writhe and squirm in pain (*discretion is advised), and in the end they all lie lifeless in the same position. I've become ridiculously curious why that is. 
Is it analogous to human's defensive foetal position whenever we are subjected to a prospective or to an ongoing danger? If not that's not the case, what are they trying to "achieve" when these little critters lie supine? Are they "gasping" for air?

I've attempted to research on this, but to no avail, so I'm inviting the resident Bio geeks here on PerC to help me in this rather petty quandary.  Thank you!

Educated theories are more than welcome too!


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## bellisaurius (Jan 18, 2012)

Twitching.

Almost makes me feel sorry for them. Of course, I have a double standard here. Predatory insects (spiders and centipedes) I leave alone unless they're being a nuisance, the wife or baby see them, or they're dangerous (fricking huge falls in this category). 

Other insects in the house aren;t granted this leniency as they're competing with me for food.


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## wuliheron (Sep 5, 2011)

You need a little practice using a search engine:

Roach Traps | Killing Cockroaches - Combat®

Bugs don't have much of a nervous system to begin with and most bug sprays are neurotoxins.


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## LotusBlossom (Apr 2, 2011)

diet coke is a potent roach neurotoxin? damn :|


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## bellisaurius (Jan 18, 2012)

@Kayness



> diet coke is a potent roach neurotoxin? damn :


Plants are vicious things. Caffeine is there to act as an insecticide. In fact, I find it interesting to note that we eat about 1.5 g of natural pesticides a day. Cabbage has something like 50 different toxins that attack things from bugs to mice.


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## Glenda Gnome Starr (May 12, 2011)

Bugs are pretty helpless when they're upside down. They have exoskeletons and skinny little legs. When they are about to die, their little legs can no longer support their weight so they end up on their backs. 
Here is more information about upside down bugs: 
Why do bugs turn upside down when they die


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## Sunfox (Apr 11, 2011)

They're just being dramatic.


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## vanilla_dream (Nov 2, 2011)

bellisaurius said:


> Twitching.
> 
> Almost makes me feel sorry for them. Of course, I have a double standard here. Predatory insects (spiders and centipedes) I leave alone unless they're being a nuisance, the wife or baby see them, or they're dangerous (fricking huge falls in this category).
> 
> Other insects in the house aren;t granted this leniency as they're competing with me for food.


thank you for the link!! i shall have a look at it shortly. 
true, i feel sorry for them too. I recently developed an aversion of killing them. my brother doesn't mind doing it and I certainly can't control him, though I absolutely don't encourage it!


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## vanilla_dream (Nov 2, 2011)

walking tourist said:


> Bugs are pretty helpless when they're upside down. They have exoskeletons and skinny little legs. When they are about to die, their little legs can no longer support their weight so they end up on their backs.
> Here is more information about upside down bugs:
> Why do bugs turn upside down when they die


thank you! this sounds plausible.


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## vanilla_dream (Nov 2, 2011)

wuliheron said:


> You need a little practice using a search engine:
> 
> Roach Traps | Killing Cockroaches - Combat®
> 
> Bugs don't have much of a nervous system to begin with and most bug sprays are neurotoxins.


this is very interesting. thanks for the link! plus, there are lots more info about bugs that I can learn about too. :3


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## Just_Some_Guy (Oct 8, 2009)

My guess is that because they stand on their legs, they have natural muscle (or whatever the analog is for a thing with an exoskeleton) tone that applies a constant downward pressure. When they die, the tension continues to pull down and the other stabilizers quit, which causes a natural curling under of the legs. Although complete speculative bullshit, I'll buy it.


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## vanilla_dream (Nov 2, 2011)

EmotionallyTonedGeometry said:


> My guess is that because they stand on their legs, they have natural muscle (or whatever the analog is for a thing with an exoskeleton) tone that applies a constant downward pressure. When they die, the tension continues to pull down and the other stabilizers quit, which causes a natural curling under of the legs. Although complete speculative bullshit, I'll buy it.


sounds more like how an engineer would have explained it.  oooh take it with a grain of salt! ^.^


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