Horses swish their tails with double efficacy: Their tail hairs strike insects that have landed, while, their swishes create a blowing wind speed that’s just right for upsetting mosquitoes’ flight patterns. | Photo: Courtesy Marguerite E. Matherne

We all know horses use their tails to ward off flying insects. But the mechanics behind that effective horse tail swishing is intriguing scientists, and it could lead to tail-inspired bug repellent technology.

Horses swish their tails with double efficacy, scientists have learned. Their tail hairs strike insects that have landed with amazing precision. Meanwhile, their swishes create a blowing wind speed that’s just right for upsetting mosquitoes’ flight patterns.

It’s a fascinating biological design that could lead to chemical-free insect management technology, for both horses and humans, in the near future, said Marguerite E. Matherne, BSc, of the Georgia Institute of Technology’s School of Mechanical Engineering, in Atlanta