Zebra stripes have the effect of keeping flies away. While many horses brought into Africa were bitten by blood-sucking flies and became infected with sleeping sickness, zebras were known to be less likely to contract it.

In recent years, it has become clear that the reason lies in the stripes. The striped pattern seems to confuse the visual ability of flies and makes it difficult for them to recognize a landing point. In other words, when flies see stripes, their eyes flicker and they cannot land properly. Research at an American university confirmed that blood-sucking flies do not prefer black-and-white stripes.

A group at the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization in Ibaraki Prefecture applied this result to cattle. This year, their study was awarded the Ig Nobel Prize, which is given to unique research. By painting white stripes on black cows and comparing them with cows without stripes, they found that the number of flies swarming the cows was reduced by half.

If humans also became less likely to be bitten by flies by wearing striped clothing, then striped designs might increase in our clothes. Stripes might also become popular in clothing for dogs and cats. If incorporated into accessories such as hats, gloves, and socks, they could serve as a natural insect repellent during summer outdoor activities or gardening. Furthermore, if camping chairs, tarps, and picnic mats were designed with stripes, they would not only look fun but also be expected to repel insects. In this way, stripes may become a new trend that combines fashion with practicality.