Re: Insects/Large Animals

["Dennis R. Ruez, Jr." <druez@grove.ufl.EDU>]

A few days ago TBS aired a National Geographic Special on insects which 
included a segment on African locusts.  They spend about four weeks in a 
larval stage in some of the larger lakes before a couple day life span as 
fliers.  When they do emerge from the water, the numbers are incredible.  
It was these swarms which caused early European explorers to describe 
Lake Victoria and others as "smoking."  When airborn, the bugs' are 
preyed on by birds (obviously), but the most significant predators are 
humans, which consider bug burgers a dietary staple.  

In the water the larva are helpless and are preyed upon by fish.  This 
isn't comparable to whale feeding, but maybe locusts couldn't survive 
under the stress of large filter feeders.

Dennis