Most insects don’t fly in heavy rain, and instead seek shelter from the elements. Some, however, don’t let a bit of precipitation keep them from their business.
Dodging the Rain
Whilst some small insects don’t let a bit of rain stop them, larger flying insects usually avoid flying in the rain. This is because being hit by a drop of rain can be potentially very damaging.
Take for example a butterfly or moth, they have very delicate wings with a large surface area. A large raindrop striking the wings of these creatures is at the very least going to make flying difficult, but may also cause permanent structural damage to the wings.
Insect Weather Forecasters
Research has shown that some insects, such as bees, change their behaviour, staying closer to the hive and collecting pollen longer into the evening in the hours before a storm. This weather forecasting ability is thought to be down to their ability to detect atmospheric pressure that often drops before a storm.
But maybe we didn’t need to do this research because our ancestors long had a saying for this phenomenon.
“When bees to distance wing their flight, days are warm and skies are bright; But when their flight ends near their home, stormy weather is sure to come.”
Braving the Elements
For smaller insects, however, a rainy day doesn’t necessarily mean a no fly day.
On occasion, you may have noticed smaller insects such as mosquitos flying in the rain. These tiny creatures have such a low mass that the turbulence of the air surrounding a falling raindrop will buffet them away from a potential glancing blow. But, even if they receive a direct hit, their low mass will prevent them from experiencing much damaging force from the impact. This allows them to survive the impact and even crawl free from the drop of rain as it falls.
