This week I have been so busy playing outside everyday! I hope you have been, too.
When I was outside this week with my friends I noticed a bunch of insects swirling and swarming in the air in the shape of a big ball. They looked really busy!
I wanted to know what these little guys were doing! I asked one of the people that work at Eldridge and they told me all about it! Turns out, this swarm is actually how the girl insects choose the boy insects. It has a funny name, it's called a "lek". (Said like "leck") That means all the boy insects get together and do crazy tricks and show off right by all the other boys. The girl insects hang out on the edge and take notes for who they think would be the best partner.
Gnats, midges, mosquitoes, and alot of other insects in the order Diptera do this mating ritual. (Diptera is latin for two wings! I bet you can guess what other insects fall into that order!) Insects aren't the only ones that do it, either! Peacocks, birds of paradise and lots of other bird species! Don't forget the fish!
There is one species of fish where the males build sandcastles! The Copadichromis eucinostomus. (what a mouthful!) The lek member with the tallest mound of sand – almost a meter wide at the base – wins the females. These sandcastles take this four inch long animal two weeks to build. Unfortunately they live around Tanzania so I won't be able to watch them any time soon. Sounds awesome, though.
Watch for those leks!
Eco
No comments:
Post a Comment