Predicting weather with bug sex

In this scientific study, the authors examined how the weather—or, more specifically, atmospheric pressure changes – affects the sexual behavior of insect species, specifically the curcurbit beetle, the armyworm moth, and the potato aphid. They found that any change in the atmospheric pressure caused the bugs to be less frisky, likely to protect themselves in situations involving high winds and heavy rains.

Potato aphids were less interested in mating
 when pressure changes heralded a storm.

When they measured the male beetles’ response to female sex pheromones under the different conditions, they found a significant decrease in pheromone response when air pressure fell compared to stable or increasing pressure.

Furthermore, 63 percent of males started copulating faster in the presence of females during dropping atmospheric pressure, a condition associated with high rains and winds. By contrast, under stable or rising air pressure conditions, all males showed full courtship behavior.

Additionally, the amount that female armyworm moths and potato aphids showed mate-attracting behavior was also measured under the three atmospheric conditions.

The female armyworms’ calling was reduced during decreasing air pressure, but the potato aphid showed reduced calling during both decreasing and increasing air pressure, two conditions that can occur with high winds. In both cases, reduced calling went hand-in-hand with reduced mating behavior.

Generic bug sex picture

“The results presented show that three very different insect species all modify aspects of their sexual behavior in response to changing barometric pressure,” explained co-author Dr José Maurício Simões Bento from the University of São Paulo.

“However, there is a great deal of interspecific variability in their responses that can be related to differences in size, flight ability and the periodicity of mating.”

More at Nature and Discover, and here's the full study: Weather Forecasting by Insects: Modified Sexual Behaviour in Response to Atmospheric Pressure Changes

Blogging will be (and has been) light to non-existent for a while

Couple of weeks, at least - family busy-ness. If you're bored, here's the archive of link posts.

Just because: Here's Arnold Schwarzenegger wearing a "Han Shot First" t-shirt while standing next to Harrison Ford

For anyone who doesn't know about the "Han shot first" thing from Star Wars, read up on it at Wikipedia.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Secret History

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been around for a long time, although I've personally always thought that it's a bad idea to teach generations of kids that nuclear waste is not only healthy but will, in fact, turn you into a superhero. They're kind of like Toxic Avenger but not as gross-looking.

So, here's some history:

via Neatorama:

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been around for over thirty years, in so many different iterations that you need a script to keep up. Your favorite version probably depends on what age you were when you were introduced to them, and what comic/cartoon/movie was hot at the time. As we retrace their history through this video, you’ll be treated to lots of TMNT trivia along the way.

Friday links

July 27 is free-market economist Milton Friedman's birthday: here are some favorite quotes and short videos. And Beatrix Potter's birthday is this weekend: in addition to Peter Rabbit et al, she produced some gorgeous botanical drawings.

How to build a mountain range.

Stealing Passwords by Reading Thermal Residue on Keyboards.

Advice from 1380: How to Tell if Someone Is or Is Not Dead (the onion test), plus bonus Monty Python.

How to Make a Fossil in a Single Day and How To Become A Fossil After You Die.

How the tiniest plot of land in Manhattan came to be.

ICYMI, Thursday's links are here, and include cutting hair with fire, the instant pot of the 1600s known as the Digester of Bones, the 2018 UK snail racing championship, and for Aldous Huxley's birthday, an audio of him narrating Brave New World.