Wood tick detector?

[mac56]

A friend sent this request for information. I told him I was certain that some DU'er could cast some light on this for us. Here's his query.

- - -

The story I heard was this: Soldiers in Vietnam would rig up (or be issued) a device consisting of a matchbox containing a number of live wood ticks and a wireless microphone. Since the ticks would only move when humans were nearby, the device would be placed on the perimeter of the area being guarded to signal someone's approach. The only problem is the Vietnam vet who once told me this story now denies he ever heard of such a thing!

Signed: May Be Going Nuts in St. Paul

[ret5hd]

1. all i know is...

is that if a microphone is sensitive enough to detect wood ticks moving around, why not just use it to detect humans moving around and do away with the wood ticks.

sounds awfully bogus to me.