Don’t reach for the bug spray: scientists find insects may feel pain after crickets nurse sore antennae (www.theguardian.com)

submitted 1 week ago by FTonsilStones@lemmy.ca to c/science@lemmy.world

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The behavioural cue of ‘flexible self-protection’ is a way to establish whether an animal feels pain, scientists say

Crickets that received the hot probe “overwhelmingly” directed their attention to the affected antenna – they groomed it more frequently, and tended to it over a longer period of time, he says. “They weren’t just agitated and flustered. They were directing their attention to the actual antennae that was hit with this hot probe.”

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[-] P00ptart@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago

There's been several studies that say they might, but nothing entirely conclusive. Some say that the smell of freshly cut grass might be the grass screaming in pain and warning the rest.

[-] mech@feddit.org 1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

It's not to warn the rest, it's even way cooler.
The smell attracts carnivores, and tells them "Hey there's some tasty herbivores over here" so they take care of the problem. The grass is snitching on the sheep.

Presumably that's why we like the smell of freshly mown grass, too (but such statements are impossible to prove in evolutionary biology).