Country diary: Drifting in clouds of smoke, winter gnats are in season | Claire Stares

24. ledna 2025 10:01

Příroda

Langstone, Hampshire: While most invertebrates are in hibernation, these insects are on the wing and drawn to our warm bodies - but they're not after our bloodAs I strolled along the frosted path beside the Lymbourne stream, the stillness of the afternoon was fractured by a piercing screech. A child playing on the bank flailed her arms as she was engulfed in a shimmering cloud of tiny insects. Winter gnats (Trichocera sp.) - hundreds of them - ethereal against the starkness of the leafless trees.They were likely T. annulata, the commonest of the 10 species found in Britain, though their appearances are so alike that they can be distinguished only by microscopic examination. Superficially similar to their cousins, the true craneflies (Tipulidae sp.), winter craneflies, as these gnats are also known, have filament-thin legs, banded abdomens and clear, unmarked wings but are significantly smaller, their bodies measuring between 6mm and 10mm. They also have ocelli on the tops of their heads. These simple "eyes" help them to keep their gaze level, stabilise their flight, detect light and orient themselves relative to the sun, which is particularly beneficial during the depths of winter. Continue reading...
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