Zebra stripes are dazzling sa国际传媒� particularly to flies.

Thatsa国际传媒檚 the conclusion of scientists from the University of Bristol and the University of California at Davis who dressed horses in black-and-white striped coats to help determine why zebras have stripes.

The researchers found that fewer horseflies landed on the cloaked horses than on the ones without striped coats, suggesting that zebra stripes may offer protection from blood-sucking insects that can spread disease.

sa国际传媒淭his reduced ability to land on the zebrasa国际传媒檚 coat may be due to stripes disrupting the visual system of the horse flies during their final moments of approach,sa国际传媒� said Martin How, a research fellow at the University of Bristol. sa国际传媒淪tripes may dazzle flies in some way once they are close enough to see them with their low-resolution eyes.sa国际传媒�

From a distance, the flies were equally attracted to both horses and zebras, with the same number of insects hovering around both types of animals. But when the flies got closer, things get dicey. The flies landed less frequently on the zebras and the horses covered in striped coats.

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sa国际传媒淥nce they get close to the zebras, however, they tend to fly past or bump into them,sa国际传媒� said Tim Caro, a professor in the U.C. Davis Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology. sa国际传媒淭his indicates that stripes may disrupt the fliessa国际传媒� abilities to have a controlled landing.sa国际传媒�

The work , reported in the journal Public Library of Science ONE, seeks to answer one of the oldest questions in zoology sa国际传媒� why do zebras have stripes? Charles Darwin had his theories. So did British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace.

But the scientists from Britain and California sought to examine that question by studying both horses and zebras at the Hill Livery in Britain, which works with zoos in Europe on conservation for zebras. That provided a controlled environment where the horses could be dressed up and closely observed to test the theory.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 one of those pieces of research that you say, sa国际传媒榳hy hasnsa国际传媒檛 someone done this before?sa国际传媒檚a国际传媒� said Tim Woodfine, the director of conservation at Marwell Wildlife in southern England. He did not take part in the study. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 simple and neat. I think itsa国际传媒檚 a great piece of work,sa国际传媒� he said.

How, an expert on animal vision, told The Associated Press on Thursday there are reasons to be sa国际传媒渜uite excitedsa国际传媒� about the research, which he said helps scientists understand whatsa国际传媒檚 happening in the mind of a fly.

The insights have broader implications for technology such as driverless cars, which are inspired by insect vision. If stripes disrupt a fly, they might also disrupt a driverless carsa国际传媒檚 systems, according to How.

sa国际传媒淲hat we needed to do is get our mind into the eye of the fly,sa国际传媒� How said. sa国际传媒淭hey have very different eyes from us.sa国际传媒�

Erica McAlister, the senior curator of flies and fleas at the Natural History Museum in London, said the research contributes information to a subject long debated by scientists.

sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檝e been arguing about zebra stripes for 75 years,sa国际传媒� said McAlister, who was also not involved in the study.

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But there are also human applications. How says from now on, hesa国际传媒檚 wearing stripes while riding his bicycle during horse-fly season.

Caro hopes the study will underscore the wonders that remain to be discovered in the natural world.

sa国际传媒淚f we can try to pique the publicsa国际传媒檚 appreciation of the wonders of nature, theysa国际传媒檒l be less cavalier about destroying it,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淭hatsa国际传媒檚 my hope.

Danica Kirka, The Associated Press

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