Stripes prove there are no flies on zebras

THE stripes on zebras are long thought to have been a form of camouflage.

However, scientists have come up with a more complicated explanation for the black and white markings.

Instead of baffling predators such as lions and leopards, the stripes may be a way of keeping a much smaller, but no less bloodthirsty, creature at bay.

It is thought biting insects could be dazzled as they try to land on the animals. Scientists found that horse flies gathered around domestic horses and zebras at a similar rate – but landed on zebras only 25 per cent as often.

When uniformly- coloured horses were given ‘zebra coats’ flies made far fewer landings.

Video footage showed that flies confronted with stripes came in too fast, often crashing into their prey or missing the landing altogether.

‘This indicates that stripes may disrupt the flies’ abilities to have a controlled landing,’ said study leader Professor Tim Caro, of the University of California.

Dr Martin How, a member of the team from the University of Bristol, said: ‘Stripes may dazzle the flies in some way in some way once they are close enough to see them with their low-resolution eyes.’

The study, reported in the journal Public Library of Science ONE, took place on a Somerset farm that has both horses and zebras.

Theories about the stripes’ purpose include camouflage, a means of confusing predators or signalling to other zebras, and a system of heat control.