The Crazy Science Behind Insect Plagues | Answers With Joe
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Published 2021-02-22
Plagues of locusts have been a pestilence since biblical times. But swarm behavior is a fascinating survival tool that many species engage in, and as scientists are learning, they have a lot to teach us about intelligence.
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All Comments (21)
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I literally forgot Locusts even swarmed in 2020, it was such a radical year.
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“I just want to say one word to you, Joe. Just. One. Word. Are you listening? Flamethrowers."
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Alaska: The cold kills you in the winter, the mosquitoes kill you in the summer, and the moose kill you year round.
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There was a cicada "plague" in the late eighties. We had a black lab puppy that discovered he could gently hold cicadas in his mouth and they would continue to buzz. One day, he comes up to us with tail wagging and a huge smile. We say hello then realize he's BUZZING! He so very obviously was saying, "Is this cool, or what?!" It was sofa king cool! Poor Bear was hit by a car, shortly afterwards. R.I.P. Bear! You were such a good boy!
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I grew up in Alaska, and my mom had actual nightmares about me being carried off by a swarm when I was a toddler.
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A few month's ago, a massive grasshopper landed on my screened in porch and I watched as it ate a hole in the fiberglass like it was made of butter. Ever since, I've fallen down the rabbit hole of insect plague research and entomology in general. Super interesting stuff 🤔👍🏻
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I LOVE CICADA MANIA I FOUND IT ONE TIME WHILE NERDING OUT ABOUT CICADAS AND SHOWED MY FRIENDS AND NO ONE CARED IM SO GLAD YOU DO. YOU GIVE ME HOPE
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"I always associated mosquitos with tropical areas." Swedes, Finns, and Russians: Ha. We wish!
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Not sure how Joe makes insect swarms extremely interesting but here we are. I’m interested.
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"Oh no! Smaller orgies..." is both the silliest and saddest scientific statement I've ever heard XD What else can be quantified by how much biomass is getting kinky all at once?
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This video reminds me of my Grandpa telling me about how he used to fly his small plane over These swarms as a young man in southern Kenya, to spray pesticides on to them. I remember him saying that, from the inside, you could see nothing but insects wherever you looked; It was scary but he enjoyed it, gave him a good feeling knowing he was helping with the starvation and hard times they caused so many people in that part of the world. I hope I have even half an as cool life as him. Rest easy Grandpa.
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"We may be considered to be swarm animals as well, particularly in respect to the sharing of information" - and of course, the orgies!!!
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"It's like your Mom's in Town" lolol
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i thought you said "let's take a moment to talk about midgets" and I just about choked on my breakfast lol
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Lake Erie's Mayfly population is actually increasing because of a concerted effort to clean up the lake over many years.
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I experienced a locust swarm in Minnesota once. It was at night and I was trying to get gas at a middle-of-nowhere gas station. I'm not a religious person, but seeing that place draped in millions(?) of locusts gave me a little more understanding of how it seems like that horror show could be sent from a higher power. It was one of the weirdest things I've ever seen.
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"so i nerded out on cicadas..." a man to my own heart
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Swarm Intelligence. It’s like the opposite of the Madness of Crowds.
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That Frank Stallone joke was so good, it almost made me forget about the bugs… the same way OJ forgot his glove.
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The Frank Stallone reference was hilarious thank you.
