entomology·EntomologybyPlaidBaron What would cause these flies to die on this piece of grass like this?View original on lemmy.world12Comments6Reply
Fwow13 lemmy.world3Hide 3 repliesMost likely a fungus. There are fungi that trigger an insect to climb to a high(er) point before death, that way the spores have the potential to travel farther and infect more insects.3Reply
Fwow13 replylemmy.world1Hide 1 replyThere other pathogens that will do things like this too, the insect world can be a horror show. 🫣2Reply
PlaidBaron replylemmy.worldThe flies are really bad this year so I say bring the horrors on. Though they are feeding the local finch population quite well.2Reply
PlaidBaron replylemmy.worldMaybe? Weird thing is there were no other dead ones nearby. Just on this one blade of grass.1Reply
6 replies
Most likely a fungus. There are fungi that trigger an insect to climb to a high(er) point before death, that way the spores have the potential to travel farther and infect more insects.
Ah interesting. It has been a very damp summer.
There other pathogens that will do things like this too, the insect world can be a horror show. 🫣
The flies are really bad this year so I say bring the horrors on.
Though they are feeding the local finch population quite well.
Heat? Just guessing
Maybe? Weird thing is there were no other dead ones nearby. Just on this one blade of grass.