Why raindrops do not kill insects?

Surely you have already submitted a mosquito buzzing insistently in his ear. Yes, this insect is able to spoil the beauty of a summer evening! And looming rain it is not a hindrance. It even seems strange.

Imagine a raindrop harder mosquito is about 50 times. Its diameter is 8 mm with a weight of 100 mg, wherein the ground it moves at a speed of 9 m / sec. Will the insect? After all, it is like a man would have fallen bus.

Yes. Komar, unlike humans, it is able to survive such an impact, and not even one. When a drop falls on the legs, insect tumbles sideways, then levels off and recovers the flight path. This helps him Johnston body – sense organ, sensing the direction of air movement or, as in this case, water.

Horseflies-haematopota attack their victims in any weather, and wasps and bees are showing increased activity before the rain

If a drop gets into the body, while the mosquito flies down with her. Because of the difference in the weight of a drop in a collision does not fly spray, but only slightly deformed, losing no more than 2% rate. Therefore, the pulses transmitted during the impact, quite small, does not cause any harm, and insect continues to fly at some time or drop inside. And the presence of cuticular exoskeleton allows the body to easily transfer this overload. By the way, the cuticle is the second strength after biomaterial timber, and for this indicator can be compared with aluminum (10 kg / mm 2), but it is easier to this metal twice. Leave the drop of mosquito subsequently help the hydrophobic properties of the upper layer of the cuticle and the hair covering the body.

There are other insects that are not afraid of bad weather. For example, blind rains attack their victims in any weather, and the wasps and bumblebees show an increased activity before the rain and, if he found them in the way, tolerate it without consequences. Causes The same: small size and cuticular exoskeleton. If they die, rather as a result of disorientation, wetting and damage to the wings, falling into the water, dirt and t. NS.

Photo: SHIKHEI GOH

To learn about the approach of rain by insects, trichoidal sensillas help – numerous sensitive hair cells scattered throughout the body. These receptors are able to respond to a change in atmospheric pressure, strength and direction of air movement, its temperature, humidity, the electrical state of the atmosphere and even ozone content. Also predict the weather helps a network of branched-tracheami, penetrating the whole body, and wings – when improving air humidity, they become heavier.

Zhukami, many types of butterflies and rates about the coming rain signals a reduced atmospheric pressure. And the night butterflies are very sensitive to the temperature: when the cold front approaches, they are hidden, and on the eve of the passage of warm air masses, it is capable of flying even in the rain (though, no sleep, so as not to damage the wings). Earlier, "my planet" told how some of the types of butterflies migrate over long distances.

However, rain drops can kill insect, especially petty, with thin soft cover. Therefore, many of them hide in advance in the cracks of the crust, under the leaves, stones and in other shelters. And even a mosquito can be a victim of bad weather. If the rain falls when he stays on the surface, it will break it off.